


Begin Again

by omgitsaddyc



Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Act 3 spoilers, Canon Divergence, Character Redemption, Gen, Mentions of Death, Split Timelines, Time Loop AU, luminary is named el
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25386097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omgitsaddyc/pseuds/omgitsaddyc
Summary: El heads off on his first-ever adventure to discover what it means to be the Luminary, but after a fatal run-in with Heliodor's best, he wakes up somewhere eerily familiar. How many times has he woken up like this?
Comments: 157
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome! First chapter of this mess is canon compliant but after that, we're off the rails, baybeee! Drop a comment or come yell at me on tumblr, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

_Awaken, hero…_

The sun suddenly burst through the window as Amber tied the curtains back. El tossed his hand over his face with a groan to try and shield his sleep-heavy eyes from the offending light, but it was no use.

“Come on now, today’s the big day! You don’t want to start your adventure on an empty stomach, do you?”

El pulled his pillow over his face and rolled onto his stomach with a sigh. Everything had changed so quickly. When he’d woken up yesterday it was just another day. Him and Gemma climbed the Tor like every other kid before them, their village’s claim to a newfound adulthood. He hadn’t felt any different until Gemma almost fell. 

He didn’t have time to think. Acting on instinct, he ran to grab her hand. With all of his strength expended on trying to haul her back up over the ledge, he didn’t have a chance to defend against the monster that broke through the clouds. It screeched before it dove in to attack them, and El squeezed his eyes shut. This was it, for the both of them. But the attack never came. He opened his eyes when a streak of lightning shot down and struck the monster. He almost flinched hard enough to let Gemma go when a searing heat radiated from the weird birthmark on his left hand. As the defeated monster plummeted towards the ground, he quickly shook off the shock and pulled Gemma up with his last burst of adrenaline. She turned his hand over in hers, her eyes wide as she looked from where the monster was, then back down to his still-glowing hand.

“Your mark...has it ever done that before?”

The heat had faded to a faint tingle, and the light did as well. He ran a finger over the mark and shook his head. “No, it hasn’t. You know as much as I do.”

They sat back and caught their breaths as the clouds began to clear. Once El’s heart rate was back down to an acceptable level, he helped Gemma to her feet and they made their way back down to tell the villagers what had happened. Dunstan was happy to see Gemma unharmed, confessing his worry when the lightning struck so close to the Tor. El glanced down at his hand and offered an awkward smile in reply. 

He followed his nose home. Amber’s savory stew, his favorite meal was already cooking. She didn’t turn around when he gently shut the front door behind him.

“So how was it? I heard you and Gemma had quite the little adventure!”

El sat down at the table, his hands folded in his lap. “Well mum, this strange thing happened, and I’m a bit worried there might be something wrong with me.”

Amber’s brow creased, and she paused her cooking to turn and face her son with her hands on her hips. Surely he couldn’t know-

“What are you going on about? There’s nothing wrong with you, dear. You’re just a normal young man.”

El laid his left palm flat against the tabletop. “Today up on the Tor, Gemma almost fell. When I went to pull her back up, a monster came flying at us and I thought we were done for. I closed my eyes, and next thing I knew my hand was glowing hot. A bolt of lightning killed the monster, and I think...I did that. I am _not_ a ‘normal young man’.” 

He wasn’t usually one to argue or cock an attitude with his mother, but he had a feeling she knew more than she was letting on. And he wanted answers.

Amber sighed in defeat and sat down across the table, taking El’s marked hand in hers. “Love, I haven’t been completely honest with you, and I’m sorry. As much as I wished you’d grow up without anything like this happening, I knew it would come up one way or another.” She paused and got up, pulling something from her dresser drawer. When she returned to the table she held out a necklace with a sparkling emerald pendant. “Your grandad told me everything, and goodness I wish he were here now to explain it all but, in short, you’re the reincarnation of the Luminary.”

El sat in silence, trying to understand what she meant. The Luminary was a legendary hero who’d defeated the dark one hundreds of years ago. He was meant to believe that he was some...descendant of him? He almost jumped out of his skin when Amber slid the necklace across the table and got up to stir the stew.

“Your grandad told me that when you were old enough, I was to give you this necklace. You’re to take it to the king of Heliodor and tell him that you’re the Luminary. He said the king would know what to do.” She shook her head sadly, but replaced it with a reassuring smile when she turned back around. “Say your goodbyes after dinner. Tomorrow morning you should head off to Heliodor to figure all of this out.”

El stayed quiet through most of dinner. His stew slid off of his spoon and splashed back down into the bowl as he stirred it absentmindedly. Leaving? Tomorrow? El hadn’t seen anything outside of Cobblestone or the Falls, so the prospect of suddenly leaving home, Gemma, and everything he’d ever known was jarring to say the least. After some gentle scolding he dutifully ate his dinner and headed out to find Gemma. Word had already gotten around that he was leaving, so he knew exactly where to look for her. 

Underneath their favorite tree in the center of town, Gemma sat with her back to the trunk and her knees drawn up against her chest. She held her kerchief in her hands, twisting it tighter and tighter as he approached. El sat down beside her, their shoulders bumping.

“So you’ve heard.”

She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. The silence stretched out uncomfortably long, and just as El was about to say something else, Gemma finally spoke up.

“It just doesn’t make any sense! How could you be the Luminary?”

El leaned back until his head bumped against the tree trunk. “I don’t know. Apparently mum’s known for a while.”

He felt Gemma’s head fall onto his shoulder, and he let his rest gently on top of hers. They sat and listened to the crickets and frogs, and if El hadn’t been listening for it, he would have missed her speaking up again.

“What am I supposed to do, Ellie? Who’s gonna pull my scarf over my eyes and throw my shoes in the river?”

El couldn’t hold back his laughter, and he was relieved to hear Gemma join in, too. “Guess you’ll just have to have dry shoes for a while. How awful.”

Gemma slowly got to her feet and offered her hand. El took it and let her pull him up into a tight hug. The last of her tears stained the sleeve of his shirt. “You be careful out there, alright? Promise.”

He pulled away and nodded, his own tears threatening to spill. He knew this would be one of the hardest parts of leaving. Him and Gemma had grown up together, and spent most of their free time together. They were the best of friends, and leaving her behind almost felt like leaving behind half of himself. 

But he had to do this. He had to figure out what it meant to be the Luminary, and then he could get back home and try to get back to normal, everyday life.

* * *

Apparently being the Luminary wasn’t anything close to normal, and he wouldn’t be getting back to everyday life anytime soon. El scuffed his boot against the dirt floor of his cell. Today had started out fine enough. He woke up, had breakfast with his mum, gave Gemma one last hug, and rode off across the hills to Heliodor.

The city was overwhelming. Cobblestone was small and quaint by most people’s standards, but nothing could have prepared El for the bustling capital that was Heliodor. Musicians performed outside of the tavern, and vendors called out from their stalls offering everything from food to shiny, new weaponry. El’s head was stuck on a swivel as he slowly made his way through the city and up towards the grand staircase that led up to the castle.

The guards had laughed at him at first, at least until he flashed them the pendant his mother had given him. It seemed to be a key of sorts, because as soon as they returned he was ushered in to have an audience with the king. Everything seemed to be going well until one of the king’s knights stepped in, ordering his men to turn their spears on him. 

Luminary status quickly forgotten and replaced with Darkspawn, El was accused of bringing evil and calamity upon the world by simply existing. The knights marched him down to the dungeons, and by the time the cell door slammed shut behind him El hadn’t even had a chance to comprehend what had just happened.

His fists clenched at his sides. He didn’t _feel_ evil. Why would his grandad tell him to come here? Lost in his frustration and anger, El almost didn’t notice that the person across the hall had been talking to him. He turned to face the shadowed figure, nervously brushing his loose hair behind his ear.

“H-hello? I’m sorry, I didn’t quite hear you.”

The other person sighed, and El swore he could hear their eyes roll even though their face was covered.

“I _said_ ; why are you down here? You don’t look like the criminal type. And brought down by Hendrik himself? You must’ve done something _pretty_ bad.”

El frowned. He didn’t appreciate his new neighbor’s nosey nature, but he supposed he didn’t have anything better to do being stuck down here.

“I don’t really know. I came here to tell the king-” El stopped. If the king and his men had reacted so poorly to what he was, maybe he shouldn’t so openly tell this stranger. After a few silent moments of deliberation, he decided his situation couldn’t get much worse from here.

“I came here to tell the king I’m the Luminary. Turns out that’s not a good thing.”

The other prisoner scrambled to their feet, gloved hands gripping the bars in shock. “Wait, did you just say you’re the _Luminary_?!”

Before their conversation could go any further, they fell silent as a guard rounded the corner. Right before El’s eyes, his new dungeon friend knocked the guard out cold with one punch, snatched the keys, and unlocked both of their cells. He stood and stared incredulously as they held out his sword and belongings.

“C’mon, we don’t have time to be hanging around.”

El followed them down the conveniently dug hole in their cell, and they crept through the underground sewers. Spotted, unlucky enough to step on a crumbling bridge, and one harrowing dragon chase later, they stood back out in open air.

But it was at the top of a cliff, and with half a troop of soldiers fanned out behind them. There was only one obvious option, and as El turned to his fugitive partner he noticed them take their hood down to reveal shockingly bright blue hair and eyes.

“Name’s Erik by the way. Let’s go.”

With nothing more but a shared nod, they sprinted for the edge and jumped.

Weightless and flailing into open air, El was certain today couldn’t get any worse.

* * *

Somehow they survived. He didn’t even have to patch either of them up. El didn’t know much about his newfound traveling companion except that he was in search of something valuable, and that now they were both fugitives of the Kingdom of Heliodor. Luminary to Darkspawn, now Fugitive. It was almost funny the more he thought about it. He imagined the look on his mum’s and Gemma’s faces if they could see him now, running around the Heliodorian Hills with a linen hood over his head and a friendly criminal by his side.

Their search led them close enough to El’s hometown that he could check in, and as soon as the visions of his past faded, he wished he’d never come back. Cobblestone was destroyed, not a soul in sight save for a traveling priest. Erik reassured him that it looked like the villagers escaped from the lack of...evidence. Either way, seeing his home reduced to rubble and ashes was too much to bear. Tearful and numb, they made their way to Cobblestone Falls to look for something his late grandad had left there to help them on their journey.

A damned prince. El didn't know what was going on with his poor luck streak, but this was certainly the icing on the cake. As it turned out, he wasn't born in Cobblestone. Amber wasn't his birth mother. He came from Dundrasil, and his parents were dead. Everyone knew that the kingdom had fallen over a decade ago, the king and queen falling along with it. He sat in silent shock and handed the letters over to Erik. A few moments of quiet passed until Erik's disbelieving laughter broke the silence. 

"Well, never imagined I’d be traveling with not only the Luminary, but the fabled lost prince of Dundrasil too. C'mon, we've got an orb to find."

El took his frustration out on the monsters. They didn't stand a chance, and each slash made him feel a little better. 

_This one's for mum._

_And this one's for Gemma._

_And this one's for the family I never knew._

The assailants dissolved into dust, and El all but dropped his sword in exhaustion. With Erik's coveted orb finally in their possession, they could make for the mysterious door in his grandad's letter and get as far away from here as possible.

That proved to be more difficult than necessary the next morning when Hendrik - the knight who'd locked him away - called down at them from the cliffside as they made their way across the field. They were so close; El could see the big, red door on the edge of the cliffs. All they had to do was make a break for it, and-

He heard the arrow before he felt it pierce his skin, but not by much. It hurt more than anything he'd ever felt before as a hot, stinging pain now radiated from his chest and shoulder. Only steps away, Erik dragged him up into his arms and stumbled into the open door. They'd only made it by a hair, El's draining blood leaving tiny droplets on the floor. He looked down, his eyes wide as he saw the dark red stain slowly spreading across El’s coat.

"You're okay... _shit_ this is bad. Don't worry, El. Just stay with me."

When the door opened again, Erik all but collapsed onto his knees, body shaking with panic. Lodged through his coat and undershirt, the point of the arrow stuck out from just under El's collar. He cursed Hendrik under his breath, and scrambled to remember anything Derk had told him about treating an arrow wound. 

"Leave it in or pull it out... _damn it_!" He patted El's cheek to try and keep him conscious. The bright red that stained the inside of his mouth didn't look promising.

El couldn't focus on a single thing. His head felt like it weighed a ton, and there was a thick, metallic taste in his mouth. He tried to breathe in, but each breath was harder and more elusive than the last. He tried to speak, but he could only manage a wet cough as his vision began to blur. He was the only one out of the two of them with healing magic, and this was far too dire for any medicinal herbs. El's heavy gaze fixed on Erik, and he gently shook his head. He knew it was no use.

"El, no! You can't! You're the Luminary, we need you. _I_ need you…"

El tried to smile, but he was sure it didn't quite translate when Erik bowed his head and took El's hand in his. Perhaps the world would be a better place without him, without the Darkspawn. He closed his eyes, and his chest raggedly rose and fell one last time. The pain faded away, and the darkness took hold, dragging him down, down…

* * *

“Come on now, today’s the big day! You don’t want to start your adventure on an empty stomach, do you?”

El opened his eyes and sat up like a bolt. He was dead. He had to be. The last thing he remembered was bleeding out and- and this was some sort of strange afterlife. He glanced over to where his mother stood in the doorway with a steaming plate of food. When she turned to leave, El tore his sleep shirt over his head and patted at his chest where the arrow had been. 

No wound, not even a scar. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He felt perfectly fine, no pain. El began to look around the room, noticing it looked just like his. He was home. Or at least somewhere that looked just like home. El got up and glanced out the window. Wherever he was, Cobblestone was okay. None of it made sense. He saw the ruins, the smoke… Mind racing a mile a minute, he slowly followed Amber out to the kitchen in a daze. 

"What do you mean adventure, mum?" He watched her carefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes while he took his usual seat at the table. May as well play along.

She set his breakfast down in front of him with a napkin and fork. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten! Why, the day you head off to Heliodor to see the king!"


	2. Chapter 2

El’s eyes went wide as his fork fell from his fingers, clattering onto the plate. Heliodor? _Today_? He’d left for Heliodor last week. He gave mum and Gemma hugs before waving the village goodbye, and riding away with the wind at his back. But according to his mother, he was leaving today. Had he never left? Had it all been a long, horrible nightmare, or a strange hallucination? He ran a shaking hand through his hair and took a deep breath. 

“Mum...what day is it?”

Amber turned, her brows drawn and lips pursed in confusion. “It’s Thursday, love. You and Gemma climbed the Tor yesterday, remember? It was quite a big day for the two of you. Are you feeling alright?” She knelt beside him and placed the back of her hand over his forehead. 

“Hmm, no temperature.” She kissed his forehead before going over to fetch him a glass of water. “If you’re worried about leaving, don’t be. Your grandad assured me that the king of Heliodor would help you out and set you on the right path.”

El withheld a snort. She had no idea how wrong she was. 

He ate breakfast slowly and turned over the last couple of days’ events in his head. He rode to Heliodor to see the king. He got thrown in the dungeons and met Erik. The soldiers came while he was gone and destroyed his village. They stole back the red orb and tried to escape through the magical door, but he’d been mortally wounded. The last thing he remembered was Erik panicking over the arrow stuck in his chest, and then he’d woken up here as if none of it had happened. Almost like he’d been given a second chance. A do-over. 

But could he change anything this time? Could he save Cobblestone from being destroyed? The king himself had mentioned never hearing of it, so perhaps if he lied he could spare the village. Even if he did lie, wherever he said he hailed from instead would suffer the same fate. El chewed his lip in thought while his mother bustled around, double-checking that his bag was properly packed. He snapped out of his daze when she spoke.

“Why don’t you head down to the shop before heading out? It can’t hurt to have a few extra herbs.”

El reflexively reached up and ran his hand over the spot where he’d been shot with Hendrik’s arrow just yesterday. It had to be real. It certainly felt real enough at the time, but there was no evidence left behind to even suggest he’d been through any of the past week’s events at all. He gave his mum a shaky smile and followed her instructions, stocking up before heading out.

Leaving hurt just as much the second time, if not more. But as the foothills opened up before him once more, El decided he was going to do things differently. He wouldn’t let Cobblestone fall again, and he had to help break Erik out so they could go and retrieve his orb. He wasn’t confident enough that he’d be able to take on the monsters in the Kingsbarrow without him, and he was nice enough the first time they’d met that he was convinced he needed Erik’s adventuring know-how...despite his shortcomings in dealing with arrow wounds.

El didn’t give center city Heliodor a second glance. His gaze firmly fixed on the castle, he strode up to the guards with his pendant in hand. The guards ushered him in, and he stood much more sure of himself in front of the throne.

“Good afternoon, your Majesty. I’ve come to tell you that the Luminary is alive, and stands before you.”

“Where do you hail from, Luminary?”

“Nowhere. My home was destroyed. Dundrasil? I think you’ve heard of it.”

Just as before, the king turned his guards against him like the flip of a switch. He scowled, unimpressed with his attitude. “Take him away, I’ve had enough of this insolence. We’ll get what we need out of him and dispose of the rest in due time.”

At least he was honest about his true intentions.

It took some real willpower to keep from swinging at Hendrik as he tossed him into the very same cell as before. He glanced across the hall while Hendrik droned on, completely ignoring his darkspawn speech. There Erik sat, back against the wall and hood drawn around his face. El spat at where Hendrik stood once he walked away, garnering a chuckle from the other cell.

“Not a fan? I don’t blame you.”

El peered over at him through the bars, silently weighing how he wanted to play this. He decided honesty was probably the best policy with Erik, but he didn’t want to lay it all out quite yet. He took a deep breath and shook the bars of his cell door to get Erik’s attention.

“I’m the Luminary, and I need your help.”

Erik snorted and uncrossed his arms to stand up and get a better look at his comedian of a neighbor. “Yeah, and I’m the king of Zwaardsrust.” He watched El’s expression harden, and his shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh. So the Seer had been right.

“You’re serious?”

El gripped the bars, his knuckles white. He didn’t have time for Erik’s skepticism. “Listen, I know how to get you out of here, and I know where your orb is. Just trust me, okay?”

Erik’s eyes widened at the mention of the orb. How could he have possibly-

Before he had time to deliberate this stranger’s intentions, he tensed at the sound of a guard approaching. Throwing caution to the wind, Erik decided he didn’t have much to lose. A well-timed punch and a short trip down the escape tunnel he’d dug later, they stood in Heliodor’s sewer labrinth. El grabbed a torch from the wall and Erik’s hand, tugging him the exact opposite way he wanted to go. He wrenched his hand free and glared from under his hood.

“Hey, what are you doing?! That way is crawling with guards. Want to get thrown right back in?”

“We have to. The bridges aren’t stable the other way.”

“What? How do you-”

Before they could argue it further, a small patrol rounded the corner, headed straight for them. El pulled Erik around the next wall and slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes narrowed deadly serious in warning. Erik rolled his eyes and nodded, staying quiet. When the Seer had told him to trust in the Luminary, he never imagined he’d be this annoying about it.

Erik’s annoyance only grew as they crept through the sewers, somehow avoiding every single guard. It was like he had some sort of weird sixth Luminary sense for danger. Erik broke into a run at the first sight of daylight, but his joy faded immediately when he realized they were on the edge of a giant cliff. He tore his hood down in frustration and stood with his arms firmly crossed over his chest.

“Alright, so we’re out. But now what, oh all-knowing Luminary?”

El held his hand out, his head tilted to the side in a smug smile. “My name is El, please stop calling me ‘Luminary’.”

Erik huffed and took his hand, squeezing it a little harder than necessary as they shook. “Erik. And uh, this is probably further than I would have gotten on my own so...thanks. This is all just sort of weird to me.”

“Well, I’m sorry to say it’s about to get weirder. We have to jump.”

He looked over the edge, and his stomach dropped. “You can’t be serious.”

El couldn’t say ‘We’ve done this before and it worked last time, Erik.’, but with how rocky of a start they’d gotten this time around, he was tempted to just spill it all right there to clear the air. Instead he took Erik’s hand, and flashed him his birthmark with the other. It glowed a faint, pale yellow, and he watched Erik’s eyes widen.

“I’ve got this, just _please_ trust me.”

* * *

El woke up in the same bed in the back of the same church, but this time his awakening wasn’t as pleasant.

“Well, well! Good to see Mr. ‘I’ve got this’ survived after all. I’ll give it to you, somehow we made it out alive. Maybe you’re not totally full of it.” He leaned in closer, his brows drawn down.

“Now, what’s this about you knowing where my orb is? Did Derk send you to break me out?”

El scooted back until his back hit the headboard. “I- no. He didn’t send me. I had uh...a vision. About you, and the orb. All I know is where it is and that I had to come and get you out.”

Erik narrowed his eyes. He could smell a lie from a mile away, and this reeked. Did El know Derk? He hadn’t mentioned ever meeting the Luminary, but he had been locked away for at least the better part of a year. Something wasn’t adding up. He didn’t have the energy to pick El apart now, but he would get to the bottom of it.

“Speaking of my orb, where is it? Last I knew it was buried in a garbage heap in the middle of downtown Heliodor. You telling me it’s not there?”

El leaned his elbows on his knees. “Derk moved it. He turned it back in to the king and took the reward money to open a shop on the upper side.” He watched Erik’s face shade in anger. He’d thrown a punch at Derk the last time he found out about his suspected treason, and El took evasive measures to make sure the same fate wouldn’t befell the messenger. He stood up and moved towards the door while Erik seethed.

“That rat! I knew he’d sell me out. I can’t believe it. We’ve gotta go back so I can set this right.”

El held his hands up in defense. The last thing they needed to do was go back into Heliodor now that they were probably being searched for. That, and he didn’t want Erik to know that he hadn’t really met Derk. At least not this time around. 

“We can’t. I’m sure they know we’re gone now, and it’s only a matter of time before they send out a search party. Please, just listen. Derk didn’t betray you. He used the profits from his shop to pay off the guards that watched you. Ever wonder why you were able to dig that hole?” El crossed his arms over his chest, his eyebrow raised. He knew this would only spark more questions, but they were running short on time. They needed to get out of here and get the orb as soon as possible, hopefully beating Hendrik to the Door. A shiver ran down El’s spine as his chest tightened. He didn’t want a repeat of last time.

Erik watched El as he explained, his anger slowly ebbing away as his arms fell limp by his sides. “That sure does sound like ol’ Derk. He always knew how to turn a quick profit. Guess it was strange they never tossed my cell, either.” Erik’s hand rested on his hip, the other reaching forward to jab El in the chest with an accusatory finger. 

“How do you know all this, anyway? If Derk didn’t send you to come get me, how do you know him?”

El swallowed hard. He had to spin something relatively believable, and fast. “I was...guided to him. To find you. The Seer said you needed me, right? Well maybe Yggdrasil led me to you, too.”

Erik went pale at the mention of the Seer. He wrapped his arms around himself, looking at the ground. “I...I didn’t tell you about that. How did you-” He shook his head and took a steadying breath. “You know what? It doesn’t really matter who you really are or why you know all this. If you know where the orb is, lead the way.” He gestured to the door with a frown. 

El felt a little guilty freaking Erik out like this, and he was sure it wasn’t earning him any trust. Hopefully when they had the orb secured they could settle back into something that resembled a friendship. Once they’d thanked the kind nun who’d sheltered them, they headed back out onto the road. The nun hadn’t mentioned anything about fugitives, which seemed odd. Perhaps their disappearance wasn’t noticed yet, but it soon would be during the dungeon guard’s rounds to deliver food. He knew they only had a matter of time before Hendrik was back on their tails again. The ghost of the ache he felt in his shoulder was enough of a reminder why they had to keep moving.

Soon enough they stopped in front of a cave, and El turned to Erik with a bashful frown. “The Kingsbarrow is through this way, but...can I ask a favor? I know it’s only a matter of time before they send out a search party for us, but could we stop in at my village? I just want to make sure everything is alright. It’s just around the hillside, here.”

Erik shrugged. He didn’t see why not, and the prospect of warm food was too good to pass up. As they made their way through the cave, Erik realized he didn’t even know there was a village hidden down here in the mountains. Maybe once they swiped the orb they could lay low here for a while. El stopped at the crest of the hill, and Erik stopped beside him to admire the small but charming town laid out before them. He only noticed when he turned to speak that El was crying. Whatever comment he was about to make was instantly forgotten as he stepped closer. “Hey, what’s wrong? Aren’t you glad to be home?”

El sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve, embarrassed that he’d let his emotions get the better of him so easily. He thought about telling Erik everything right there and then, about the destruction, that they’d met before, but he was torn from his thoughts when Sandy ran up to them, barking and wagging her tail. He leaned down to pat her head, and spotted Gemma following her up the hill. 

He knew he’d only been gone a little over a day, but seeing her alive and well made his heart swell with relief. Cobblestone was just as he’d left it, and the king had no way of knowing it was where he came from. They were safe. He began to feel more and more grateful for the second chance he’d been given, as confusing as it still was.

Gemma ran the rest of the way to greet them, and threw herself into El’s waiting arms. “I didn’t expect you to be back so soon! And who’s this?” She took a step back and regarded Erik with curiosity.

El wasn’t sure if he could call them friends, but he couldn’t tell her he’d just broken him out of jail. He glanced at Erik, and looked down at his shoes. 

“He’s a friend I met in Heliodor. We can’t stay long, but I just wanted to check in before heading out again. Can we go see mum and have some lunch? I wanted to talk to you both. I have some news about Heliodor.”

“Course! Head on down, I’ll catch up with you lot in a bit. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you back so soon.”

El turned to Erik with a nod and started down the path to his home. 

“Little soon to be meeting your parents, don’t you think?” Erik laughed, looking around at the quaint stone houses and neatly kept gardens. This place didn’t seem half-bad.

El rolled his eyes. “S’ just my mum.” He shot a warning look back at him over his shoulder. “Just don’t tell her I met you in prison. I planned on leaving that part out.”

Erik held his hands up in defense. “Don’t worry, I won’t spill any of your secrets.” _Even though you seem to have more than you’re letting on._

Gemma was correct. Amber was thrilled to see her son back safe and sound, although she was surprised he was back so soon, and with a friend.

“I expected you to end up on some grand adventure!” She set two plates of food in front of them, and Erik didn’t hesitate to dig in.

“Well, that’s the thing, mum. I can’t stay long. Turns out the king wasn’t happy to see me. If any soldiers show up from Heliodor, you have to get everyone out of here, okay?” His hands started to shake, and he hid them under the table a moment too late. Erik had already noticed.

Amber took the seat beside her son and rested a hand on his back. “There’s no need to get all worked up. I’ll send word over to Dunstan, and we’ll keep an eye out.”

Just then, Gemma knocked on the door and let herself in. “Hello, Amber! I hope you don’t mind me joining. Ellie asked me to come over.”

“Of course not, Gemma dear! Here, have a seat next to our guest. Erik, was it?”

Erik glanced up and offered a half-smile as Gemma took her seat beside him. “Yeah. We met a little earlier.” He looked across the table at El, his friendly smile turning into a smirk. “So Ellie, huh?”

El glared back. “Don’t get any ideas.”

He explained what had happened in Heliodor, leaving out the fact that he’d been thrown in the dungeons, as well as their escape. Per his request, Gemma went to her grandfather to warn about any Heliodorian soldiers. After everything was settled, El finally seemed more at ease. Erik excused himself to explore the village while El caught up with his family, and eventually found himself perched on the roof of the church. 

As he watched the townsfolk going about their day, Erik couldn’t help but think of Mia. This was the type of life she would have hated, being cooped up in a tiny village. But there were plenty of upsides to living this way. Cobblestone seemed completely self-sufficient between their crops and animals, and there were enough traveling merchants to supply anything the village couldn’t provide. It was quiet, peaceful, and Erik could only imagine the views from the top of some of the taller hills.

Erik hoped that El would be able to help her. The Seer had said himself that aiding the Luminary would bring him forgiveness. As much as he wanted to know more about El and how he knew what he did, he knew he had to stick with him until they could help her. That had to be enough for now. He watched El check in with a few others before it looked like he was looking for him. Erik jumped down from his perch without a sound, and almost startled El out of his skin when he tapped him on the shoulder.

“Ready to head out?”

“Yeah. We should be able to make it to the Kingsbarrow before sunset. Mum gave us something for dinner, too.”

Having dug up the box his grandad left while Erik was exploring, there was no reason for them to stop at the falls this time around. They made quick work of the monsters inside the Kingsbarrow thanks to El’s previous trip here, and soon enough Erik was holding the orb he’d been chasing for more than a year.

The red reflected off his eyes in the torchlight as he turned to El with a small smile. “I can’t believe it. I guess I owe you some credit...and an apology. My uh, _occupation_ doesn’t offer much in the ‘trusting strangers’ department, but you’re alright.” He pocketed the orb and clapped El on the back. “Let’s get out of here.”

They set up camp for the night and enjoyed the food Amber had sent them off with. Erik leaned back against a log, looking out to sea. “Your hometown’s pretty nice. Sure you don’t wanna lay low there for a while?” He waited a few moments for El to respond, but he was too focused on watching the distance, like he was waiting for something to pop out and attack them. Erik rested his hand on El’s shoulder to get his attention, making him jump.

“Woah, sorry! Take it easy. Nothing’s gonna get us out here.”

El shook his head, brushing off the apology. “Sorry, I’m just worried. It’s only a matter of time before they start looking for us.”

“You’re right, but they’re still probably searching the city. We have a day or two before they really start combing all the way down here.” He frowned when El didn’t relax.

“We’ll head for that door you mentioned first thing in the morning. Then we’ll be half a world away, and Hendrik will be none the wiser. I’ll even stay up a little to keep watch if you want.”

Guilt sat heavy on El’s chest. He’d saved Cobblestone from being destroyed, and here he was still worrying himself sick. He finished the rest of his dinner, and settled into his bedroll as the fire died down. He rolled over to face Erik, who was still sitting up where he had for dinner, watching the sea.

“You don’t have to stay up. You should get some rest, too.”

“You sure? I don’t mind it.”

He wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t risk both of them being sluggish tomorrow if things did go south. He patted the spot next to him with the ghost of a smile. 

“Yeah. Get some sleep.”

The next morning was thankfully uneventful as they packed up camp and made their way across the beach towards the cliffs. Nerves sat in the pit of El’s stomach the closer they got, and he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder at every sound.

El spotted the bright red door on the edge of the cliffs. It felt exactly the same as the first time, and any confidence El had left swifty melted away into fear. There was no sound other than their footsteps through the long grass, and the wild horses grazing across the clearing. El glanced back warily, waiting for Hendrik to appear and chase them down like before.

But he never showed up. Erik was right, it would probably be another couple of days until they ended up looking for them all the way down on the Emerald Coast. But he also knew how keen the king would be to find him knowing he existed. At first El hadn’t a clue why the king of Heliodor was so offended by the Luminary’s existence, but as they began to travel this time and the last, he noticed bad luck did seem to follow him. Either way, he had to keep them one step ahead.

The heavy, red doors shut behind them, and before El could blink they were staring out at a completely new landscape. One El didn’t recognize at all. He didn’t have a chance to admire their new surroundings the last time. He took a step out, a hopeful grin spreading across his face as he turned to his companion.

“We made it.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy canon gloss-over for this chapter, we've gotta get to Yggdrasil! After that it's a totally new ball game. You'll see :)
> 
> I apologize if this chapter sounds a little rushed. It's sorta just a segue into the next one, which will be much better! Thanks for stickin' with me.

Hotto was quiet. Peaceful. Erik didn’t seem familiar with it, which was a good sign. The further from Heliodor they were, the better. It was a nice change of pace compared to the bustling streets of the capitol, and El didn’t hesitate when the villagers practically begged them to visit the steam baths free of charge.

After a detour through a crypt crawling with monsters, their group grew by two. A powerful, pint-sized mage and her twin sister, who just happened to be a decent healer. Their skills complemented what him and Erik lacked, and the extra firepower was more than enough to set El’s worried mind at ease. As nice as it was being halfway across the world from the people that wanted to kill him, it was still hard to fall asleep knowing they were still out there somewhere.

At first Erik wasn’t keen on their new company, especially when they arrived in Gallopolis and a suspiciously multi-talented circus performer decided to follow them around as well. The Great Sylvando, he called himself. There was certainly more to the performer than met the eye as he fought alongside them against a feared desert monster plaguing the city, and again when he publicly schooled Gallopolis’s cowardly prince in chivalry. 

Empty-handed, they made haste to leave the sweltering desert town as soon as they could. Just as they approached the gates, Sylvando appeared and asked to join them on their journey. He offered a ship ported in Gondolia, just a town over. As wary as Erik still was of the nosey jester, traveling on a private ship was infinitely better than trying to catch the crowded ferry.

* * *

Their luck wasn’t any better in Gondolia. The seaside town was a pain from the start. The docks were closed for a pageant, and before El and Erik could realize what was happening, they walked right into a Heliodorian trap. The city was crawling with soldiers, and El cursed under his breath as they were surrounded. It didn’t matter how many they fought off, there were always more to take their place. With the help of the others El managed to get away, but Erik hadn’t. 

Erik had thrown himself in front of the ball of dark magic destined for El. He batted his outstretched hand away, and shouted at him to run through strangled coughs. Serena pulled him up to safety, but El’s eyes didn’t leave the group of soldiers that had already begun to crowd around his fallen friend.

“He’s hurt! We can’t just _leave_ him!”

El looked down into the murky canal waters. All he’d have to do is toss himself off the docks, and he’d wake up at home again. Sure, it would be annoying to backtrack with how far they’d gotten this time, but if it meant saving Erik, it was worth it.

Sylvando placed a hand on El’s shoulder, startling him out of his panic. “Honey, don’t look so down. We’ll save him.”

He wanted to believe that everything would work out, but with one last glance at the water he decided it was a small comfort to at least have a contingency no matter how morbid it may have been.

El watched Jasper pace back and forth across the stage, shouting threats and insults into the air as he went. Erik was restrained against one of the stage’s support poles, and he thankfully still looked conscious, if only barely. El bit his tongue and turned to the others with his fists clenched at his sides.

“Before we go down there, I need you all to promise me one thing.”

They turned and gave El their full attention, uneasy at his serious tone.

“If anything happens to Erik or any of you, I need you to let me die.”

Serena and Sylvando gasped, and Veronica glared back at him, hands on her hips. “And why would we ever agree to anything so ridiculous?”

El ran a hand through his hair hastily. They didn’t have the time for him to completely explain, but now that he’d said it he needed to give some clarification before they charged into battle.

“It’s hard to explain, but I met Erik once before. We didn’t make it very far, or at least _I_ didn’t. Sir Hendrik killed me while we were trying to run away. But instead of just dying, I woke up back in my bed, and it was back to the day I first left home. It didn’t make any sense and it still doesn’t. I’m not sure it’ll work the same way again, but I think dying for me is like some sort of weird time reset.” 

He took a deep breath, and let it out in a long, heavy sigh. He knew he sounded crazy, but it was the truth. And it felt good to finally tell someone, even if they didn’t believe him. 

“So if anything bad happens, I’m willing to sacrifice myself to start it all over. I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me. Erik shouldn’t be down there. I’m the one they want.”

The rest of the group stared at El like he’d grown another head. For once, Veronica had been shocked into complete silence. Sylvando took a tentative step forward. “Ellie dear, we know that this is stressful for you, but maybe you should just sit down for a moment.”

El let out the breath stuck in his chest, and he let Sylv guide him to sit with his back against the railing. The twins took seats beside them, still listening through their lingering shock. They knew the Luminary possessed some supernatural power, but turning back time with his death was certainly unexpected. 

“Erik doesn’t know. When I broke us out of the dungeons he was pretty freaked out that I already knew why he was in there. I just couldn’t bring myself to tell him. I was afraid he’d run.”

“I’m sure he would understand, but now’s not the time to worry about it. Thank you for telling us, but we’re going to get out of this just fine. There’s no need for any more heroic sacrifices. I think we’ve had enough of that for a while, wouldn’t you say?” Sylv gave El a warm smile, and the semblance of one began to form on El’s face as well.

Sylv had only been travelling with them for a week or so, but El was already grateful he was here. He got to his feet with a renowned fire, and the others followed suit. El drew his sword, and Sylv did the same while the twins squared their shoulders and gave reassuring grins. 

“Let’s go show Heliodor why they shouldn’t mess with the Luminary.”

With their renewed fury, El shouldn’t have been surprised that they brought Jasper to his knees without an issue. Serena quickly undid Erik’s bonds and sent much-needed healing magic surging through his veins. He fell to his knees, gasping for the fresh air that just moments ago had been burning his lungs from the inside out. Once El was sure Jasper wasn’t getting up anytime soon, he made his way over and helped Erik to his feet.

“You okay?”

He nodded, and before El could say anything more, a large, ornate ship sailed up alongside the stage. Sylv stood at the helm, his smile bright and his arms flung wide.

“All aboard, darlings! We’ve got places to be, and I think the charm in this town has more than worn off. _Vamanos_!”

They hopped aboard and were soon out into the safety of open waters. With Gondolia just a speck on the horizon, El finally felt safe enough to check in with Erik. They hadn’t had much time to talk during their escape, and he wanted to make sure he wasn’t in any pain. He found him resting against a stack of crates above deck, and El slumped down next to him with a tentative smile.

“Just when I thought we wouldn’t have to worry about Heliodor finding us…” He turned and scanned down Erik’s body, wordlessly checking for any injuries. “I’m sorry we weren’t faster. Anything still bothering you?”

Erik traced his fingers over the new scar on his chest, still purple with bruising. “Don’t worry about it. You’re the Luminary, I had to make sure you got away.” His eyes met El’s, and he could already hear the protests. “I’m fine, just a little sore. Honestly the worst of it was Jasper’s constant shouting. Guy just likes to hear himself talk, I swear.”

El fought back the giggle, but it spilled out regardless. Erik always did know how to cheer him up when things looked bleak. He knew he had to tell Erik what he’d told the others back in Gondolia. It was only fair that he knew the truth, even if the worry that Erik would be upset sat heavy on his mind. He really enjoyed the bond they had, and he didn’t want to do anything to compromise it. With a deep breath, El folded his hands in his lap, and kept his eyes on the deck floor.

“I have something I need to tell you.”

Erik could practically feel the nerves rolling off of him. In an attempt to calm him down, he threw his arm over El’s shoulder and pulled him in for a sort of half-hug. “Hey, whatever it is, it can’t be that bad. Just relax.”

El bit at his lip, and decided to just spit it out. Hopefully he could still repair anything broken afterwards. 

“Remember back when we met in the dungeons?” 

Erik nodded, watching El with a calculated gaze. 

“Well, it wasn’t the first time. I met you in the same place, maybe a week or so before. The first time we broke out, it went horribly. We got chased around the sewers by a bunch of guards and a dragon. We ended up having to jump off the cliff, but the first time it was because we were cornered. That’s why I was so sure we’d survive.”

Erik just stared back in reply. He couldn’t quite wrap his head around what El was talking about, so he gently nodded and urged him to continue. He began to mentally catalogue his questions, and decided it was better to save them all for the end instead of interrupting.

“When you asked if Derk sent me, I was telling the truth when I said no. The first time we went back into Heliodor to look for your orb. It wasn’t there, so we paid Derk a visit. You were pretty angry with him, but he told us that he’d returned it for the reward money to help you. It was returned to the Kingsbarrow for safekeeping. That’s how I knew it would be there.”

Erik was still just watching him, but he wasn’t moving to leave. El took another deep breath and continued.

“I never met the others before. Just you. The first time...didn’t end well for me.” El’s hand reflexively came up to rest over where his wound would have been. “The reason I was so nervous when we left the Emerald Coast was because I uh, died the first time.”

Erik fully turned to face him, finally breaking his silence. “Wait, what? You _died_?”

“Yeah. The first time we made it to that red door, Hendrik was chasing us. He shot me with an arrow and I didn’t make it. But instead of dying for good, I woke up back at home. It was like nothing had ever happened, but I remembered everything.”

Erik wrung his hands together with a gentle laugh. “That sure explains why you acted the way you did when we first met. You knew how to get out of there because you’d already done it. So you don’t know Derk at all, do you?”

El let the laugh bubble up from his chest. He felt lighter, relieved that he could finally tell the truth. “I don’t really, no. I haven’t met him this time. Last time you practically attacked the poor man. When the orb wasn’t where you left it, you stormed right up to his shop and started throwing punches! I think I did you both a favor this time.”

“Sounds like it. I couldn’t appreciate it then, but thanks. You saved us both a lot of trouble.” He thought for a moment, then carefully crossed his arms over his chest. “Wait, so is that why you were so jumpy when we visited your hometown? What happened the first time, El?

He was silent for a moment, not sure if he wanted to talk about it. Erik was much more perceptive than he gave him credit for. It hadn’t happened this time around, so he didn’t have anything to worry about, but the memory was still fresh enough to hurt.

“The first time around I told the King where I was from. He sent his men out, and my village was destroyed. But I got smart this time. Told him I was from Dundrasil.”

“Isn’t that the old kingdom that got torn down by monsters ages ago?”

El nodded. “It is. And it wasn’t really a lie, that’s where I was born.”

Erik did a double-take. “Hold on, really? You weren’t born in Cobblestone?”

“No. My grandad found me in a basket floating down the river with a letter from my birth mum. Said she tried to save me from the city’s destruction. I never met my parents.” He felt Erik scoot closer and rest a consoling hand between his shoulder blades.

“I’m sorry, El.” 

He didn’t really know what else to say. He could relate to never knowing his birth parents, but that wasn’t something he was ready to openly share. He swore to himself he’d tell El everything when they got to Sniflheim. He deserved the truth after everything he’d just laid out.

“Thanks, Erik. And...thanks for staying. I’m sure it wasn’t easy at first, but hopefully now you understand.”

“Don’t worry about it. Glad I did.”

* * *

Zwaardsrust wasn’t anything to write home about. They made their way through the vast fields of wheat, past the ruins, and eventually came to stop in front of a giant, towering building. Octagonia, home of Erdrea’s most famous fighting tournaments, and the first indoor city El had ever seen. He skidded to a halt at the sight of the giant statue of Hendrik, a deep frown on his face. 

“Let’s not spend any more time here than we have to.”

It turned out they were going to be here much longer than El wanted. One of the orbs they needed was one of the prizes, as well as the goddess-forsaken branch they’d been chasing across the continent. As easy as it would have been to just steal them and move on, El knew they had to play this fair and square. He didn’t want to give anyone a reason to come after him spouting darkspawn nonsense. Not after Gondolia. 

The competition ended up being more trouble than it was worth, especially after his sought-after prize was taken ransom by another competitor. The note he’d left led them to Dundrasil, El’s birthplace. The city was nothing but moss-covered ruins, and the further in they went, the more El’s stomach churned with unease. 

They met the man who’d taken their prize, and he revealed himself to be none other than El’s grandfather, Lord Robert, or Rab as he preferred. Rab explained what had happened the night Dundrasil was attacked, and El listened on with a tightening feeling in his chest. His parents had sacrificed themselves so he could have a chance at life. 

Erik took a step back while the others gasped in shock at the news of El’s lineage. “Wait, you told me you were born here, but you never mentioned you were the _prince_. Quite the detail to leave out, don’t you think?”

El gave him an apologetic frown. “Sorry. It just didn’t seem important. I didn’t want you to treat me any differently.”

This time Serena stepped forward with a soft smile and an outstretched hand. “We wouldn’t dream of treating you any differently. I’m so terribly sorry to hear about your parents.”

El tried his best to give her a convincing smile, but he knew it fell short. As much as he wanted to mourn his fallen family, it was hard to drudge up the genuine sorrow when he never really knew them. But he did feel sad for the entire kingdom and its sudden demise all those years ago.

After a few more introductions and an ancient royal Drasilian ritual to honor the dead, the group settled in around the campfire for the evening. El watched the newest addition to their group, Jade, across the fire. He was curious to learn more about Rab’s quieter traveling companion. Something about her seemed familiar.

There was no sign of Heliodor until the next morning. El knew it would only be a matter of time until they caught up and found him again after their escape from Gondolia. Under the waning darkness of dawn they snuck out of the ruins, and back through the forest towards their ship. With the Rainbough now finally in their possession, locating the last few orbs would be a breeze. Locating, but not necessarily procuring. 

The green orb led them to the bottom of the ocean to meet with the mermaid queen, while the purple brought them through a bit of a goose chase between finding the magic key in the bustling town of Phnom Nonh’s famous cursed mural, then finally back to Zwaardsrust’s hidden vault where the orb had been locked away. The silver orb sat atop the treacherous Eerie Eyrie, and after a brief battle with a trio of angry monsters all that remained was the blue orb of Sniflheim.

* * *

El was beginning to think trouble followed him wherever he went as his hand rested upon Sniflheim’s gates. The city was completely frozen by an ice witch, and the only way to figure out how to defeat her was in a monster-infested library to the _even more_ frozen north. The journey was uncomfortable as they trudged through the deep snow, and El noticed Erik withdrawing further and further into silence the longer they spent in the area.

Once the curse was broken and the city returned to normal, it didn’t take long for El to notice Erik’s disappearance. He tried his best not to worry as the rest of them headed to the castle to collect the final orb. There was no use in fretting over it, especially with how strange he’d been acting since they arrived.

While the rest of the group explored the city, Erik found himself across the cove, standing in front of an old, weather-worn door. Erik undid the latch with a sigh and shuffled his way inside. Mia was right where he’d left her, and seeing her again after all these years didn’t make it any easier. He knew he should go back to the others and just ask El to help, but the guilt was still too much for him to bear. What if El dismissed him after he found out what he’d done? He knew El was the key to break the curse, but he just wasn’t ready. After Yggdrasil. Then he’d ask.

But Erik didn’t realize he wouldn’t get the chance. The orbs guided their path up to Yggdrasil, but the peaceful aura of wonder while they walked through Her sacred branches didn’t last. Jasper followed them up in an ambush, and he wielded the same dark energy he did back in Gondolia. But this time he didn’t go down so easily. 

Everyone was confined to the ground by a horrible spell while Jasper cleared the way for none other than the king of Heliodor himself. Right before El’s eyes the king seemingly shed his image for a much more sinister one, and it was then that he realized that they were all in very deep trouble. The king was just a pawn. Mordegon had been using him like a sick puppet, and suddenly Heliodor’s aggression towards him from the beginning made perfect sense. Mordegon wanted to snuff him out as soon as possible, and his escape from the dungeons had made that all the more difficult.

Darkness thick enough to choke out the sun poured from Mordegon as he stole the sword from Yggdrasil’s heart, and suddenly El was falling. The pain in his chest was unbearable. It felt like there was a hole ripped clean from his sternum through his back. He shut his eyes tight and waited for the impact.

But it never came.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends, welcome back! We're gettin' the band back together! :D

El startled from sleep so suddenly he nearly ended up in a heap on the floor. His head whipped to the doorway when he heard his mother's laughter.

"Goodness, that must have been some dream! Come on out for breakfast, love. You've got a big day ahead of you!"

He slouched back and let his head flop against the pillow. Back in Cobblestone. As much as he wished it had all been a horrible nightmare, when he closed his eyes the events that had taken place between Yggdrasil’s branches flashed across his mind. He wasn’t surprised that he’d died, but the fact that his friends probably had as well brought on tears. A crushing sadness settled between his ribs, and El hastily swiped at his face before he finally got up and headed for the kitchen. They had put their trust in him, and he’d failed in the most spectacular way. 

But now he knew everything. He knew who King Carnelian really was, and what he planned to do. A plan of his own began to spin itself to life as El stabbed at his breakfast.

“You’re awfully quiet this morning. What’s on your mind, dear?”

El swallowed his food with an audible gulp. “Just a bit nervous for my trip is all. Don’t worry, mum.” He managed a smile, and that seemed to put her at ease. She leaned in to give him a gentle kiss on the forehead before returning to the sink to rinse off the remainder of the dishes.

“You know good and well not to tell your mother she mustn’t worry. I’ll always worry about my little soldier, especially when he’s about to leave home for the first time.” She hummed to herself while the dishes soaked. “Why don’t you stop down by the shop before you leave? Having a few extra herbs wouldn’t hurt.”

El smiled to himself as he reached for his bag. He’d grown so much since the first time he’d left. His healing abilities were more than enough to fix anything an herb could at this point, but he’d humor his mother for the sake of her worrying.

Leaving didn’t phase El in the slightest this time around, and as he climbed atop his horse he promised Gemma he’d check back in soon. He knew Cobblestone would be safe just as it had been before. As El rode out through the mountain caves, he began to piece together a rough idea of how to rescue Erik without alerting the king or any of his men. 

Or rather, Mordegon. Now that he knew Mordegon was controlling the king and all of Heliodor as well, he knew he couldn’t make his presence known until he was absolutely sure he could end the battle right there in the throne room. His best bet was spending as little time in the city as possible, and as he rode closer to the cliff that he’d jumped and survived twice, he knew just the way to do it.

* * *

Erik sat with his back against the cell wall and he held his aching head in his hands. An awful pain had blossomed from his temples out of nowhere, and images of a journey he’d never been on slowly began to appear one by one. A man with shoulder-length brown hair, a blonde woman with a harp, a young girl with a temper that preceded her size, a jolly entertainer, a warrior maiden, and a wise, old traveler. He recognized them all even though he’d never met them. When the pain ebbed away, he slowly opened his eyes. 

Today was definitely the day. He had to get out of here and find the others. Find El.

The Luminary. He went on a journey with the Luminary...in the past? It still didn’t make sense, but Erik shook the strange memories from his mind as he heard the guard approaching. 

It was now or never.

Erik stood to face the guard and took him down with a single, swift punch to the gut. He waited a few moments to ensure he’d been totally knocked out, then moved aside the straw mat to reveal his escape tunnel. He almost jumped out of his skin when he looked up from where he landed to find the very same person from his memories staring right back at him.

“El?”

“Erik, thank the Goddess- wait. You know who I am?”

Before they could further confuse each other, El held up a finger and pointed around the corner with a frown. They would have plenty of time to make sense of things when they were out of danger. Erik followed him silently as they prowled through the sewers, somehow familiar with the route.

As they crept through a particularly dark cave, El suddenly held out his arm and stopped Erik in his tracks. His breath hitched in his throat. He’d taken a wrong turn, his memories from both previous trips through the dungeons had muddled together. He scanned the almost pitch-black room and spotted the dark mass in the center. 

“Goddess be damned, I forgot about the dragon. C’mon.” El charged forward and Erik followed, feeling stronger and more confident than he remembered. They moved in sync like they’d been fighting together for years, and as the dragon fell Erik resheathed his knife with an impressed grin.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the Luminary’s got skills, but where did that come from? It’s like I knew every move you were gonna make before you made it.”

“Yeah, about that. We’ve known each other for a while. But something tells me you already knew that.” He glanced around, and let out a long breath as he leaned his weight against the cave wall. They were almost free, and there was no way the guards patrolled all the way down here. They could spare a moment.

“What all do you know?”

Erik closed his eyes and let his head fall back to rest against the stone. “This is gonna sound crazy, but I had this weird headache right before you showed up. I’ve never met you before, but I know you. And there’s others.”

El nodded with a faint smile. “Yeah. We’ve done this before, and there are others. We’ve got to get out of here and find them. I can explain more once we’ve done that and answer any other questions. I have one for you, though.” El looked over at Erik with a hopeful spark in his eyes.

“What’s that?”

He held out his hand, his mark glowing against the darkness.

“Do you trust me?”

Erik took his hand and gave it a small squeeze before letting go. “As weird as this all is...yeah. I do. Let’s go.”

The rest of their journey out was thankfully quiet, and soon enough they stood on the very same cliff. Undetected this time and more prepared, El began to climb down the ledge and motioned Erik to do the same. With some careful footwork and plenty of patience, they were back on solid ground. El’s horse was right where he’d left it, and without so much as a glance behind them they rode off for the Emerald Coast.

* * *

Red orb once again secured, the pair made their way through the Hotto Steppe towards a crypt tucked back in the cliffs. Based on how quickly they’d made it here this time around, El was almost certain he wouldn’t run into either of the twins quite yet, but he could take care of the monster problem so Hotto’s residents wouldn’t have to fear being abducted in the steam baths.

On their way back to the village, Erik was finally ready to begin asking questions.

“So, what’s the plan? Gather the others and take the fight to Modegon?”

El nodded. “Yes. Now that we’re free to find everyone and gather the orbs without Heliodor knowing, we’ll be safe to grab the sword from Yggdrasil and take the fight to the castle.”

Erik’s eyebrows shot up. “So you’re just gonna march in there and kill the king? Mordegon or not, I’m sure the city won’t appreciate you murdering their monarch.”

Shoulders slumped, El let out a heavy sigh. “I know. As much as I want to just get it over with, we’ll need a better strategy than that. I’ll speak with Jade once we find her and my grandad, but I think she’ll be able to help us lure him out. Hopefully there’s a way to get to Mordegon without committing regicide. I’d rather not end up back in the dungeons.”

That seemed to be a good enough plan to set Erik’s mind at ease for now. He knew they had a lot to do in a relatively short amount of time, so hopefully they could gather everyone along with the orbs without raising too many eyebrows along the way.

El had been right about the twins. Since they’d taken care of the monsters in the crypt, they bumped into them on their way down from the bathhouse. El almost didn’t recognize Veronica at her full height and proper age. He didn’t realize taking care of the monsters first would mean that she’d never have her age drained. 

“ _You_!” She pointed at El with a scowl, and shoved him hard enough to make him stumble down a few steps.

“You let me _die_!”

El held his hands up in defense while Erik caught him from toppling down the rest of the stairs. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. If it’s any consolation, I’m pretty sure we all did.”

Veronica crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. “I _suppose_ you were telling the truth after all. Serena and I woke up at camp yesterday, like we’d never even left! Yggdrasil was fine, and I was back to normal.”

Laughter rang out, snapping the tense mood. They all gave Erik a curious look as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “It’s just so weird...seeing you the same age as Serena. Guess I can’t call you ‘short-stuff’ anymore, huh?”

“Watch it, I’m more than tall enough to kick your arse.” She threw him a wicked grin, and Erik reflexively flinched back. 

El stifled his own laughter. It was nice to see them fall right back into normal behaviors. It was almost as if they hadn’t been separated at all. 

Serena took her sister’s arm and began to lead the rest of the group down the stairs, stopping in front of the inn. “We just arrived in town this morning, but I suppose we haven’t any time to waste.”

El looked down when his stomach very rudely announced itself. “Uh, how about lunch first? We can catch you both up, and then we can make our way to Gallopolis for Sylvando.”

The twins were more receptive to his plan than El had expected. He supposed the lasting memories helped a great deal in proving his case, and now that they knew exactly who their enemy was, they were more than capable of taking him out while sparing Yggdrasil and the rest of Erdrea at the same time. They were going to make this one stick, El would make sure of it.

Later that evening, Erik sat by the campfire and picked at a loose thread on his sleeve. He tensed when he felt the log shift as someone took the seat beside him. He didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

“Here, brought you some dinner. At least we had one decent meal today.”

Erik bumped his shoulder against El’s. “There’s nothing wrong with road stew. One of my favorites, actually.”

They ate in silence, with the occasional sounds of the desert’s nocturnal creatures skittering across the sand. Erik still had a few questions for El about his memories, and once they finished cleaning up he found the courage to ask.

“You said the first time you died and we met again that I didn’t remember meeting you the first time. So why do I this time? I don’t get it.”

El leaned back and looked up at the stars. It was a fair question, but he unfortunately didn’t have an answer to give.

“I’m just as lost as you. I always remember everything that’s happened in a...previous life, but now that you, Serena, and Veronica remember it all too...I’m not sure.” He searched the sky for Yggdrasil, tilting his head to the side when he spotted it. “It’s honestly pretty helpful. Less I have to explain.”

“I have to say, back when you told me about the whole ‘resetting after dying’ thing I didn’t totally believe you. I know you’re the Luminary and all, but cheating death? You have to admit that sounds like a stretch, even for you.”

“You’re not wrong, and I don’t blame you. At least this time I think we’ve finally got it under control. No surprises.”

Erik stood up and smoothed his tunic out. “Yeah, let’s hope not.”

* * *

Gallopolis was just as unpleasantly hot as El remembered. Bypassing the palace entirely, they grabbed tickets for the circus and spent the rest of the afternoon milling about the city. With their supplies and stomachs filled, they filed into the tent and took their seats in the audience.

Sylvando’s performance was just as breathtaking as the first time they’d seen it as they watched him breathe fire over the heads of the crowd. The flames turned into shimmering flower petals, and Serena picked a few out of her hair with a giggle while Veronica tried to pretend she wasn’t smiling from Sylvando’s antics. They could properly enjoy the show this time around without the prince begging them for help. Perhaps there were more perks to this do-over thing than previously thought.

He recognized them immediately as he waltzed out from backstage to greet them. “Darlings, it’s you! I just knew you’d come and find me. It’s so good to see you!” He ran forward and wrapped El in a tight hug.

“It’s good to see you too.” He stepped back, and his tone took a sombre turn. “So I take it you remember if you know who we are.”

“Oh of course, Poor Yggdrasil! It was quite the shock to wake up back with the circus, but once that nasty headache went away it all made sense. I never doubted you honey, but that’s some power. Let’s not have any more oopsies, okay?”

El nodded in agreement. “So you’ll come with us?”

“Absolutely. Let’s go show this nasty Mordegon who he’s messing with.”

He knew it wouldn’t take too much convincing to get Sylv back on board, especially with the way he’d almost insisted on joining them the first time. El and the others waited patiently back at the inn while Sylv said his farewells to the circus crew. They decided to indulge in a night at the inn, the warm food and soft beds calling their names after a night camping in the desert. They could spare leaving in the morning. According to El’s calculations they were already more than a week ahead of their last journey thanks to his foresight. They’d been able to cut out several time delays, and if they made it to Gondolia by the end of the week they wouldn’t get stuck with the docks closed this time around. And with Heliodor none the wiser to his existence, they shouldn’t have to sneak around like fugitives this time, either.

Veronica was never robbed of her magic or age, and Erik wouldn’t get hurt in Gondolia. Two more things El was able to fix. With any luck he’d be able to fix a lot more once they found the rest of their friends.

Gondolia was much more pleasant without the guards. Serena was able to try all of the confections she missed out on their first time here, Sylvando got busy preparing the ship, and Veronica hung back with El while Erik browsed the local weaponry shop. They settled on a bench overlooking the canal, and Veronica didn’t give El a chance to relax before she launched into her barrage of questions.

“So, what’s your plan for taking the orbs without Mordegon finding out? Weren’t some of his goons guarding them?”

El didn’t want to admit he hadn’t thought too hard about it yet, but maybe he could bounce some ideas off of her. She never hesitated to say so when she disagreed with something, so he knew if his ideas were half-baked, she’d set him straight. 

“Well, I was thinking of just asking Michelle for the harp without having to go all the way to Lonalulu. Now that we know the person she’s waiting for is gone, we can just tell her what happened and hopefully save some time.”

Veronica rolled her eyes, but she knew El was right. They didn’t really have the time for the runaround they went through the last time. Michelle needed to know so she could move on. “Alright so that’s one. What about Octagonia and Phnom Nonh?”

El thought for a moment, his finger tapping at his chin. It would be easier to stop by Octagonia first, and find his grandfather and Jade before heading out into the open sea. “As much as I don’t want to steal it, I think that’s our best bet in Octagonia. The tournament won’t be underway yet, and we can sneak down into the caves to take care of the spider too. At least we won’t need the rainbough this time.” He gave Veronica an attempt at a smile, and she burst into laughter.

“Don’t look so nervous! One stolen orb isn’t the end of the world. I’m sure Yggdrasil will find it in her heart to forgive you.”

El snapped out of his worry and his smile turned genuine. “I was just thinking about Phnom Nonh. Didn’t Dora say that Jasper was the one who gave her the power to trap people in the mural? If he hasn’t gotten there yet, then maybe it won’t be an issue this time. The same would go for Sniflheim, I’d assume.”

“Careful with assumptions, but you might be onto something there. Let’s go find the others and see if we’re ready to set sail.”

* * *

Still ahead of schedule, the tournament in Octagonia wasn’t set to begin for another week and a half. After sneaking down to the caves to finish off Arachnagon they scouted the city for the orb. Thanks to Erik’s ability to literally sniff out treasure, they found it locked behind bars in the basement of the fighting arena. Erik took his time inspecting the lock, and then wordlessly turned and plucked a barrette from Veronica’s hair.

“Hey! What the _hell_ do you think you’re-”

“Hush up, just give me a minute.”

They all stood back and watched Erik fiddle with the lock, and within a few moments he swung the door open with a smirk.

Veronica sntached the barrette out of his hand with a ‘hmph!’, and affixed it back into her hair. “No need to be a complete show-off about it.”

“Just admit I have skills.”

“Not on your life, Erik.”

El quickly pocketed the orb and motioned for them to follow before they were spotted. Rather than risk staying at the inn after their heist, they spent the evening scouring the city for Rab and Jade. After coming up empty-handed, El shook his head in defeat. 

“They’re not here, and I’d rather not stay the night. Let’s head back to Zwaardsrust and check back in the morning. Maybe they’re on their way and we can catch them.”

Luckily for El, they didn’t make it that far. As he pushed open the doors back out into the cool, night air he almost ran face-first into Jade.

“ _There_ you are. You owe us some answers.”

El tried to explain as much as he could during the walk back to the Warrior’s Rest Inn. He’d never mentioned his strange reset power to either Jade or Rab, so while the others settled in for the night, El stayed up to talk things out with their newfound companions.

“I know it sounds unbelievable, but you saw it happen. We died up on Yggdrasil, and then you woke up a few weeks ago like we’d never set out in the first place. When I die, I reset time back to the day I leave for Heliodor.”

Content with El’s answers but still in a bit of disbelief, Jade finally began to relax. “So what of my father? Mordegon’s got a hold on him, that much I remember.”

El sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “He doesn’t know I’m alive yet. This time around when I broke Erik out of jail I did it without really ever entering the city. As long as we keep it that way, we should be able to figure out how to lure him out.”

“But how do we get Mordegon away from the king?” Rab twirled the end of his mustache between his fingers. 

“I may be able to help in that regard. The kingdom thinks me dead, do they not?” Jade questioned. 

“Aye, news spread that you were killed in the attack on Dundrasil all those years ago. Whether or not Mordegon believes that, only time will tell. Perhaps seeing you will snap him out of it.”

El frowned. “I doubt it, but using Jade as a buffer wouldn’t be the worst idea. We can all bring you to the castle, say we found you? That way they can’t throw us into the dungeons outright without suspicion.” He laughed, thinking of Erik. “They might not be too happy to see Erik running around as a free man.”

Jade moved to get up, satisfied with their plan. “Get some rest, we’ve got plenty of traveling ahead of us."

El had been correct in his guess that without Jasper corrupting things, the orbs were significantly easier to obtain. They convinced Michelle that the man she was waiting for was long gone, and she gifted them her harp for their information as she returned to Nautica to mourn her lost love. 

Phnom Nonh was still as bustling as ever, but the mural wasn’t cursed at all. They located the magic key in Nhou Wat’s ruins, and El zoomed back over to Zwaardsrust alone to grab the purple orb. Another short trip back to the Eyrie gave them silver, and all that left was Sniflheim.

Erik seemed less tense as they docked, but he wasn’t in a rush to get off of the boat, either. “Go on ahead to the castle without me, but when you’re finished could you meet me back here? I have a favor to ask you.”

El gave him a warm smile. “Of course, Erik. Whatever you need.”

As strange as it sounded, Erik was happy he hadn’t had El save Mia the first time. With how close Yggdrasil floated above them, who knew what would have become of her when it fell. There was no use in saving her if her freedom only would have lasted a few days. 

They made quick work of securing the final orb with a friendly chat with Queen Frysabel, and after a check around town they were ready to continue on to Arboria. El did as Erik had asked and met him down by the docks while the others took stock of their things at a nearby campsite. He looked nervous, but also the most at peace since they’d arrived here. He motioned for El to get into a small rowboat, and they made their way across the bay to a seemingly unoccupied bandit hideout. 

“They’re out raiding, so we should be safe to walk through.”

Erik was right, the cave was empty save for a few workers that were left behind to guard the treasure, but they were easy enough to sneak past as they lugged crates around the caves. After a short trudge across a snow-covered clearing, Erik stopped in front of a shabby-looking wooden door.

“I’m about to introduce you to someone very important to me, and you have to promise you’ll do whatever you can to save her.”

El had never seen Erik this serious. He rested a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. “Of course, Erik. I’ll do whatever I can. Promise.”

With one final sigh, Erik opened the door and El followed. He walked to the center of the room and stood beside a life-sized golden statue. It resembled a frightened teenaged girl, her arm outstretched in a silent plea. Erik cleared his throat and looked to El with tears in his eyes.

“Meet my little sister, Mia.”

Before Erik could begin to explain what had befallen his sister, El’s hand began to glow bright enough to illuminate the entire cave. He stepped closer, and grabbed the statue’s hand. The light pulsed brighter, and El could feel the cold metal beneath his fingers turn back into warm flesh. Erik caught Mia before she could hit the ground, a disbelieving smile on his face.

“You did it, you actually did it!” The tears fell freely now, and Erik hugged his sister tight against his chest. “Mia, you’re alright. I’m so,so sorry.”

Her bright blue eyes slowly opened, and when she spoke, her voice was strained and quiet.

“Nice going, dumbass. Got me frozen in gold.”

Erik failed to choke back a laugh. “Yeah, that wasn’t one of my best ideas.”

Mia’s eyes slowly turned to El. “Who’s that?”

“That’s El. He’s my best friend, the Luminary, and the one who saved you.”

Mia weakly nodded up at him. “‘Sup.”

El crouched down beside Erik, healing magic already glowing at his fingertips. “It’s nice to meet you, Mia. Can you stand on your own?”

Erik helped her into a standing position, but as soon as he moved to let go, she wobbled enough that he was right back at her side in an instant. 

“Ugh, that’s a no.”

After a short deliberation on where to let her rest, Erik decided the best place was back in Sniflheim. They knew her there, and they could keep an eye on her while she got better. He entrusted her recuperation with the city’s priest, who was more than happy to finally be able to help out one of the poor children he watched suffer at the Viking’s hands for years. 

As soon as the priest excused himself, Mia grabbed hold of Erik’s sleeve. “So you’re just gonna leave again? Why can’t I come with you?”

“Listen, we’re dealing with some seriously bad stuff, Mia. Normally I’d have no issue bringing you along, but I just got you back and...I really don’t want to take risks here. We’ll have it all under control soon, and I’ll come right back. I’ll take you on a world tour, I promise. Just you and me.”

That seemed to convince her as she settled back into bed. “You better. Now go save the world or whatever.” She waived him off with a smirk, and he gave her one last hug before quietly shutting the door behind him.

Erik found El patiently waiting outside of the chapel where he’d left him. “Hey, thanks for waiting. We’re good to go. Oh, and can you promise me one last thing? Don’t mention any of this to the others. If they ask where we went, I’ll handle it. I’m just...not ready to talk about her with anyone else yet. I still haven’t even told you what happened.” 

El stepped closer and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to, and I won’t tell a soul.” He turned him back towards the city gates and patted him on the back before letting go. “Let’s go find the others and finish this.”

They passed through Arboria and up through the First Forest, and as they did a sinister deja vu crept through everyone’s thoughts. There was no way Jasper could be following them this time, but the nervous tension didn’t leave until El stepped up to Yggdrasil’s heart. His hand glowed in time with the vines, and he felt an indescribable power surge through him as he took hold of the sword. Legendary indeed, he knew this was exactly what they needed to take care of Mordegon once and for all. 

More careless than usual now that things finally seemed to be looking up, on the way back down El’s boot slipped on a root. Before he could process what was happening he was pitching over the edge, all of Erdrea dizzily laid out below him. A hand caught his arm and swiftly jerked him back, pulling him back onto solid ground. Jade peeked over the edge and shivered.

“Goodness, that would have been a nasty spill.”

The color slowly faded back into El’s face as he got his breathing under control. “Thanks. That would have been more annoying than anything.” He kept hold of her hand as they made their way the rest of the way down, the both of them a little shaken from the heights. The absolute last thing he wanted right now was to have to start all of this over _again_.

* * *

Heliodor’s gates loomed atop the hills. El knew what they had to do,and it was almost full-proof aside from the king tossing them all into the dungeon without a second glance. He knew they had a decent shot with Jade and Rab along, and hopefully their combined status would keep them out of trouble until they could lure Mordegon out. As nervous as he’s ever been, El led them through the gates and up the stairs to the castle. As soon as the guards laid eyes on Jade, they ran inside to inform the king of her arrival. They were quickly ushered inside, and El decided to keep his marked hand hidden in his pocket.

Jade stood at the front of their group, guards flanking them from either side. The familiar scene made El’s skin crawl, but he tried to remind himself that they had it under control. Worst case scenario they could probably fight their way out if they had to, but-

His train of thought was interrupted when the king stood and threw his arms wide with a chilling smile.

“Lo, today is a day to celebrate! The Luminary of legend has brought back my precious daughter.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might seem like an ending, but I promise you this is far from over.
> 
> Sorry if Hendrik and Jasper sound awkward as sin, I don't write them very often! I tried my best :)

El tensed at the sound of his title being spoken aloud. His hands flexed into fists at his sides. How did Mordegon know who he was? There was no way he could have remembered, unless-

He followed Mordegon’s stare, and it was settled on the hilt of the sword sticking up out of its sheath on his back. 

_Damn it all, the sword_.

El didn’t realize how recognizable it was, especially to someone who had been after it for so many years. They’d have to tread carefully from here on out if they all wanted to make it out of here alive. He was flying blind, and every move was going to be calculated like an intricate chess match. If Mordegon got his hands on the sword again, it would spell the end for Yggdrasil and Erdrea both.

Jade was the first to react. She stepped forward and came down on one knee in front of the imposter with a polite smile. They couldn’t let on that they knew what he truly was. Now that El’s element of surprise was dashed, all they could do was feign ignorance.

“Father, it’s good to see you well after being away for so long. The Luminary and his companions found me and brought me safely back home.”

The king eyed the others with scrutiny, sizing them up. Perhaps he could pick some of them off, lighten the Luminary’s guard to make him more defenseless…

“Please pardon my interruption sire, but one of the Luminary’s companions is a fugitive of Heliodor.” Hendrik stepped forward with an accusatory glare directed at Erik. He held his chin high in defiance at the accusation, expecting the worst. If they threw him back down into the dungeons, he knew he wouldn’t be there for long if El had anything to say about it.

Rab took rank next to Jade, and kneeled as well. “Please your majesty, the lad’s changed his ways. He’s a trusted ally, and if you lock him away, you should lock us all up, as well. Surely you can forgive his crimes if they were committed to aid the Luminary.”

As tempting as it was to dispose of the thief in the dungeons, Mordegon knew it would draw too much suspicion. He couldn’t lock him up at the protest of Dundrasil’s last surviving monarch and Heliodor’s princess. He shook his head and faked a compassionate smile.

“Certainly. Stand down Hendrik, the boy is cleared of any previous charges. We cannot in good faith imprison one of the heroes that saved my lovely daughter! Come closer, Jade. It has been too long since I’ve properly seen you, my dear.”

Jade cautiously got to her feet and came closer to the throne. Hendrik and Jasper flanked her, which didn’t ease her nerves in the slightest. They’d been her royal guard as a child, but now they felt more like threats than allies. Her skin crawled under Mordegon’s gaze. It was too...calculated. 

“A shame I’ve missed so much of your life. You’ve grown into a... _strong_ young woman. Come, we shall have a room made up for you and your companions at once.”

El watched as the palace burst into action, and people scurried every which way to prepare for their stay. He thought back to the events that took place on Yggdrasil, and he caught Hendrik’s arm as he passed. He had to try and get him on their side before things went south.

“I’d keep an eye on your friend. His intentions aren’t as pure as yours.” 

Hendrik shrugged him off with a scowl, but El hoped that the warning at least gave him pause. They could use all the help they could get in the castle now that they were playing on Mordegon’s court.

They were soon whisked off to their guest rooms to prepare for the banquet being thrown in their honor. El felt guilty sending the staff into such a panic to prepare for something he didn’t even want to participate in, but he had to play along and keep up appearances until the moment was right. He smiled to himself as he shut the door to his room. This wasn’t much different from a game of poker. 

So far they'd thankfully avoided the dungeons (Erik more narrowly than the rest of them), but El knew they were far from being out of the woods. The fact that he didn't know what to expect made his empty stomach churn after being in control of their plans for most of their adventure. This was uncharted territory, and if he wasn't careful he'd find himself waking up at home for the umpteenth time. El enjoyed being home, but if he had to wake up to the same scene again, he feared he would wake screaming in rage.

After he was changed and settled, El gathered the others into his room to go over their plans one final time. "I don't know what his intentions are other than my sword. He couldn't take his eyes off of it earlier. It's staying on my back through dinner. I don't care if it's against royal etiquette." 

Jade stifled a giggle, but nodded in agreement. "I know I've been away for most of my life, but it's not difficult to see that man is not my father. We know Jasper is in on it, but Hendrik's loyalty always was his most...defining quality. I almost feel bad for him."

"Exactly. I was able to whisper a warning to him earlier, but who knows if he'll take it to heart."

"I think you'll be surprised. Smaller rumors have created larger rifts."

El hoped she was right. If Hendrik sided with them, there was no way Mordegon was going to win. A knock at the door startled them to attention, and they were summoned for the meal.

The small talk was tedious and uncomfortable, especially when the king was incessant with his questions about the sword and how they’d found it. Hiding behind rules of etiquette, the king asked question after question under the guise of "If you insist on having it at the table, it must be rather important indeed!" 

El gave as little information as was polite (and truthful for the most part, he'd only wielded the thing for the better part of a week), and thankfully Jade was a master at turning the topic of conversation towards something more diplomatic. She may not have been in a royal setting for more than a decade, but her grace was just as prominent as ever.

"Father, what do you plan to do now that I've returned? Can we throw a ball?"

The king slapped his hand down on the table hard enough to make El jump. "Why, of course! You do realize we also have the lost Prince of Dundrasil among us. What an occasion, indeed! Erdrea's royalty has been restored to its former glory, and that must certainly be celebrated." 

El tried not to recoil as everyone stared. He knew the others were aware of his status, but it was still something he didn't want to wave around like a banner. He didn't feel like royalty, and he didn't really want to _be_ royalty, either. 

He cleared his throat with a flush. "Yes, of course. I would be more than pleased to attend a ball welcoming the princess home. Perhaps after then we could discuss rebuilding my home."

The glare El sent across the table could have cut steel. Rab snapped him out of it with a hand against his back. "It warms my heart to see you invested in your auld home. Anything ye need to restore Dundrasil to its former glories, and I'll be there."

El was telling the truth. He wanted to see Dundrasil rebuilt even greater than it was before, but if he could also catch Mordegon in a lie, it would be even better. He'd lure him out one way or another, and as he watched Mordegon's eyes stray to the sword at his hip for the fifth time since they'd been seated, he could guess at how it was going to happen.

After the meal they were dismissed to explore the castle. As much as the guards had promised Erik would be left alone, he still found himself tailed for most of the evening. Frustrated, he took a sharp left and shut himself into El's room. El jumped at the sound of the door, and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was only Erik. 

"Woah, sorry to startle you. The guards won't leave me alone. There isn't even anything worth stealing in this place, let alone trying something when I know they're watching my every move.” He noticed El hadn’t relaxed, and moved to sit beside him on the edge of the bed. “Hey, you alright?"

The sheets bunched between El’s nervous fingers. "He's going to make a move tonight, I can feel it. He won't let me leave here until he has his hands on the sword."

Erik rested a hand on his back in an effort to comfort his friend. "We won't let that happen. Tell you what, why don't I stay in here with you tonight? I can stay awake and keep watch while you sleep. If he tries anything funny, he won't get away without a few good hits."

He felt bad having Erik stay up and lose a night of sleep just to ease his nerves about staying under the same roof as Mordegon overnight, but the suggestion did make the invisible weight crushing him feel a little lighter.

“Sure, if you don’t mind. Thanks, Erik.”

* * *

Across the castle, Hendrik stood in front of the door to Jasper's chambers. His arm was half-raised as if he was considering knocking, but before he could decide the door was thrown open.

"What is it that you want? It's customary to knock, if I'm not mistaken."

“Apologies, I merely wanted to check in with your patrols. The king has asked that we keep a sharp eye on the Dark-” he cleared his throat. “...The Luminary and his companions.”

“Why, of course. The thief slipped away into one of the guest rooms for the evening, and the others are beginning to retire as well. We haven’t seen the Luminary since the meal.” His expression turned even more sour. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, Hendrik. We shall see to it that the princess remains protected.” 

He shut the door, and Hendrik heard the lock quickly click into place. As much as he didn’t want the Luminary’s warning to bother him, Hendrik paced the halls lost in thought until a familiar voice snapped him out of his daze.

“Hendrik, is that you? May I speak with you for a moment?” Jade stepped out from the shadows, and her freshly pressed robe dragged along the rug behind her. It had been her mother’s, and it hadn’t yet been altered to fit her shorter frame.

Hendrik stood at attention when he realized who it was, his closed fist striking his chest in a salute. “Of course, Princess. At once.”

Jade checked the hall before shutting and locking the door. No sign of Jasper or the monster masquerading around as her father. She sat in the plush chair opposite Hendrik, her eyebrows drawn down and her mouth set in a thin line. “This is important. Jasper is not who he says he is. Neither is my father.”

“I do beg your pardon Your Highness, but surely you cannot mean-”

Her eyes narrowed, silently challenging him to argue with her further. “I’m serious, Hendrik. You have to have noticed. I can’t imagine Heliodor’s most decorated knight wouldn’t have picked up on it by now.” She brought her hand to her forehead, exasperated. “Honestly, your loyalty is like the blinders on Obsidian. You can’t see past it, can you?”

Hendrik’s face colored in embarrassment. The Princess certainly hadn’t lost any of her fire while traveling all of those years. If anything, it had only grown more intense. He took a moment to regain his composure, then nodded in silent agreement.

“I understand your concerns and will take them seriously, Your Highness. My sincerest apologies for the oversight.”

Satisfied enough with his response, Jade waved him off as she turned away to prepare for bed. He may not have been completely convinced, but this would be more than enough to get the wheels turning.

“Thank you. Dismissed, Hendrik.”

* * *

El had no idea how late it was when he’d finally drifted off to sleep, but it had taken Erik telling him stories of botched heists with Derk to calm his nerves enough to do so. 

Erik slouched in a chair by the door. His eyes traced over the fancy crown molding that outlined the ceiling for the fortieth time. Castles were so stupidly decorated with unnecessary detail. Who would notice the ceiling unless you were staring up at it trying to sleep? He settled into a familiar relaxation until he heard the lock on the door click open from the outside.

Finally. He was starting to think that Mordegin had chickened out.

He bolted out of his chair to jostle El awake before he ducked down on the other side of the bed, out of sight until he was needed. El stayed still and tried to keep his breathing even. A shadow fell across the room as someone crept in, keeping to the perimeter of the room. 

El’s sword was propped against the wall, and just as he’d suspected Mordegon stepped into the sliver of light cast by the moon through the window still disguised as the king. He reached out to grab the sword with a chilling smile.

But before he could, there were two knives in his back. 

“Not today, you bastard.”

The king cried out in pain, and a purple aura seeped out of him until Mordegon completely shed himself out of his host. The king fell to the floor in a heap, gasping for breath. Mordegon stepped over him as if he were a pile of dirty laundry.

“Wretched Luminary. You’ll pay for this in blood.” 

El was out of bed in a flash, and by the time he had his sword drawn, Mordegon had escaped down the hall. They took chase, and watched him drag a kicking and screaming Jade out of her room before he silenced her with a spell. 

“Jade!”

The commotion woke the others, and they soon joined them in a confused panic.

“What’s going on? Eugh, what _is_ that thing? It’s disgusting!” Sylv pointed down the hall to where Mordegon disappeared up the stairs. 

“Mordegon, and he has Jade.”

Hendrik jogged up to them with a huff, startled awake when he heard the princess’s cries for help. “They’re headed to the throne room, we must make haste. I cannot find Jasper.”

El’s eyes narrowed. So this was it. They were finally making their move. His eye caught movement from his open door. The king was still injured and bleeding out on the floor. “Serena, Rab, can you two stay here and help the king? Erik kinda...stabbed him. It’s fine. I’m sure it’ll be fine. We’ll go handle Mordegon.”

The rest of them sprinted up the stairs and burst into the throne room. Mordegon casually sat on the throne with his legs crossed, like he’d been expecting them for some time. Jasper stood to his right with a sword at Jade’s throat, his expression unreadable. Hendrik scowled at the sight, upset that his suspicions had been confirmed.

“Jasper, unhand the Princess! You serve the throne, not whatever abomination that has pretended to be our King.” He glared at Mordegon as his embarrassment from being taken advantage of threatened to bubble over into blind rage.

El’s mark burned. He itched to zap Mordegon into oblivion, but they had to make sure Jade was safe, first. He looked across their ranks, and everyone was more than ready to strike. Veronica had fire sputtering in her palms, Sylvando had both swords drawn and held at the ready, Erik was crouched and prepared to strike, and Hendrik brandished his greatsword while he kept his searing gaze on Jasper.

“We swore to protect her, to uphold the crown! Are you truly lost to the darkness?”

Jasper’s cold laugh echoed off of the ceiling. “Boorish as always, Hendrik. This darkness helped me _find_ myself. I was doomed to grow up in your shadow. The darkness was all I had while you were out becoming Heliodor’s most _decorated_ knight.”

Hendrik tightened the grip on his sword. “I...do not understand. We were comrades, Jasper. We were meant to work together. We were an unbeatable team.”

Fed up with the chatter, Jasper tossed Jade aside and strode closer with his sword drawn. He pointed the tip up at Hendrik’s throat. “Then tell me, how was I to manage that while you bathed in glory while I got left behind!”

Before Hendrik could even try to respond, Jasper charged him. Veronica took the opening, and rushed to Jade’s side. She helped her back to her feet while checking her over for any injuries. She was unharmed and mostly unbothered by the whole ordeal. With a roll of her shoulders and a shake of her head, she fell into ranks with the rest of them.

“I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. His hands were shaking the entire time.”

With Jade out of harm’s way, they attacked Mordegon with everything they had. Between the five of them it didn’t take long to whittle him down to a battered mess. 

El felt his mark burning again, and he glanced across the room to see Hendrik had Jasper pinned as well. Mordegon followed El’s line of sight, and without missing a beat he shot his last bolt of dark magic directly into Jasper’s chest. He collapsed with a gasp, and Hendrik was barely able to catch him before he hit the ground.

“No, Jasper!”

With a final cry, El reached up to the sky and called down a massive bolt of lightning through the skylights above. The room erupted into a searing light, and when it began to fade they all watched as Mordegon finally fell. El almost couldn’t believe his eyes as he disappeared into dust. It was finally over. They’d won.

“Luminary, please. I need your assistance.”

El’s attention snapped over to where Hendrik still sat, Jasper gasping for air in his arms.

“He is injured, could you-” He stopped, unsure if he should even ask for El’s help. He knew how El must feel about Jasper, but he still had to try. “I know he aided Mordegon and conspired to kill you, but please. Give him another chance.”

El was certainly capable of holding a grudge, but it went against everything his late grandfather Chalky had taught him growing up. 

_Don’t waste time bearing grudges, and live life with love in your heart_.

He knew what Jasper had done in the past. Erik’s scar had been erased with the reversal of time, but how it had happened was still fresh enough in El’s mind. But this Jasper was different. This Jasper hadn’t done that, and perhaps with Mordegon gone and Hendrik by his side instead, he _could_ change. Who was El to take that chance away?

His mind made up, El knelt down next to them with healing magic already sparking at his fingertips. He gently placed them over Jasper’s chest, and in a matter of seconds his breathing came easier. Hendrik’s whole body relaxed, and he carefully set Jasper down to rest.

“Thank you, Luminary. I promise you will not regret it.”

El offered his hand, and he helped Hendrik back to his feet. “No problem, and please, just call me El.”

Serena burst into the throne room, out of breath and panicked. When she saw Modegon gone, she rushed over to check everyone over before delivering her news. “My apologies that we couldn’t be here to support you all, but it seems you didn’t even need us! That’s certainly a relief. We were able to stabilize the King, and he’s asking for you, Jade. He’ll need a few days of bedrest, but he should recover just fine.”

El was relieved to hear that they hadn’t accidentally killed the King. He knew asking Erik to go easy was a mistake when his own safety had been on the line. He cast Erik a glance and stuck his tongue out, only to be met with a bashful smile. They followed Jade back to the King’s chambers, and promised her they’d stay until he was back on his feet.

* * *

The days in the castle passed faster than El was prepared for. He went through all of the motions, not sure what to do with himself now that there wasn’t an immediate threat to the world. His purpose fulfilled, the only thing he could think to do was to head back to Cobblestone and continue on like he’d never left at all. 

Everyone chattered on about what they were going to do next over breakfast, and it was bittersweet to hear that they’d all be going their own way. They made plans to meet up in a few months' time, but El felt like he’d just gotten everyone back. And now they were all leaving to get on with their own lives.

The twins were to return to Arboria to spread their story of the Luminary and their triumphs in defeating the great evil that had threatened Erdrea. Sylvando decided it was finally time to face the music and confront his father in Puerto Valor. He hoped saving the world was enough to earn back his respect after leaving to join the circus without as much as a goodbye.

Jade and Rab were planning on staying in Heliodor. Jade wanted to catch up with her father after all of the time they missed, and take up her role as the Crown Princess. Rab wanted to help her settle in, and gather what resources he could to begin the rebuilding of Dundrasil. They both promised to visit El in Cobblestone every few weeks, and they made sure to let him know he was always welcome in Heliodor. That would definitely take some getting used to after his past experiences in the city.

Erik was returning to Sniflheim to pick up his sister, Mia. He promised her once she was well enough they’d travel the world. Mia had plenty to see, and he made plans to swing them around to Cobblestone when they were in the area.

El gave each and every one of them crushing hugs as they gathered at the city gates. It was hard to watch them go, but he knew it wasn’t forever. Erdrea was finally in a time of peace, and they'd earned whatever future lay ahead of them. 

As El made his way down the familiar dirt path back home, he let his gaze travel up to where Erdwin’s Lantern twinkled red in the sky. He silently thanked his ancestors for watching over him through his journey, and hoped that he could live up to the legends all the same.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit shorter, a sort of catch-up until we get to some crazy shit. You'll see.
> 
> _Fuck around with time and find out._

A year and a few odd months had passed since Mordegon had been defeated. Much had changed in the time of peace for El as well as his friends and family. He'd settled back into village life at home in Cobblestone, and Rab, Jade, Hendrik, and Jasper had kept up on their promise of visiting every few weeks.

El opened up his own armory in town, and showcased his forging skills while Gemma helped with the seamstress work. The Cobblestonians had never been more properly outfitted, or looked so fashionable between the pair's quality craftsmanship. Word quickly spread of the former Luminary’s business, and people from all over Erdrea made the trip to his small, quiet village to purchase a ‘piece of history’ as they put it. 

The attention was a little embarrassing at first, but more money coming into the village was never a bad thing. He was more than happy to use the extra to make Cobblestone even more beautiful. A new inn was built to house the influx of visitors, and Sylvando had asked via letter if a small theater could be built as well for when he put together his troupe for traveling shows.

Sylvando spent a few months in Gallopolis with the circus until he built up the courage to go back to Puerto Valor. He expected his father to be uninterested in seeing him again after all of the years he'd spent running as far away as he could, but word had already gotten around that Sylvando had aided the Luminary in saving Erdrea from the disguised evil that hid away in Heliodor, and the Don had never been more proud of his son. Differences set aside, Don Rodrigo pledged to help his son achieve his dreams in any way that he could. It turned out that those dreams included building an extravagant theater in Puerto Valor, which promised to bring in more business (and more importantly, smiles) to the already popular vacation town. He wrote to El and Jade as well to ask about opening smaller venues in their respective towns for a traveling acting troupe, and they happily agreed to accommodate. 

Jade had settled into castle life better than she expected. She demanded time out with the knights to make sure they were being properly trained, and that along with her usual royal duties was enough to balance out her days. She accompanied her father to meetings with dignitaries from all across Erdrea, and aided him with holding court for their subjects. She was firm but still held compassion for her people, and the more Carnelian watched her fall back into her role as Crown Princess, the more confident he became that Heliodor would be in excellent hands once she came to rule. 

Jasper was quieter than usual. He'd had plenty of time while recovering to lament over his past, and with Hendrik's help he decided he was ready to rise to the occasion and be the friend and partner that Hendrik deserved. All of the years he spent hating him for his accomplishments began to fade away once he saw that they really were on the same side. He took his place beside Hendrik in training and leading Heliodor's knights day after day, and the more time they spent together, the more Jasper remembered how much he really enjoyed it. It turned out that living by a code of honor was much more fulfilling than serving an unholy evil, and for the first time in years when Jasper looked out over the training field, a sense of pride warmed his chest along with the sunlight that spilled through the passing clouds.

He began to see himself as Hendrik's equal, and in turn that was all Hendrik ever saw him as, as well. Having his childhood friend back at his side was nothing short of a comfort, and he’d realized that part of that friendship included checking in every now and then past their duties. The castle had never been in better shape, and they both took pride in the fact that the city was safe, thanks to their teamwork. 

Rab had been able to secure plenty of help to begin rebuilding Dundrasil. Once the summer months faded into a more seasonable autumn, the first bricks would be laid. El promised to do what he could to help, but the discussion hadn't gone much further than that. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to move his entire life to a home he'd never really known, but he still had a few years to decide until the castle was finished. 

Serena and Veronica were lauded in Arboria as heroes, and were treated as such almost tirelessly. They managed to write about most of their journey before they slipped out of town, and spent a good month in each Heliodor and Cobblestone to avoid dealing with the high priests. As much as they enjoyed being back home, having people ask them to bless their children, gardens, and pets almost daily was beginning to get a bit overwhelming. Even Serena’s calm and polite demeanor had begun to crack under the constant attention.

Erik made good on his promise and brought Mia to Cobblestone during their world tour. She had fun learning about the livestock, fishing in the river, and she even sat in with Gemma for an afternoon while she worked on garments. 

El didn’t realize how much he’d missed his best friend until he was in town. They had travelled together for more than a year, and not having his snide jokes or quiet observations daily bothered him more than he was prepared to admit. Perhaps he could convince them to stay in Dundrasil for a while once it was closer to being completed. He was sure they could find something for Erik to do, granted he agreed to staying at all.

At the end of their trip, Mia ended up enrolling at the Academie with Erik’s heavy suggestion. Hunting for medals interested her enough, and if she could get a formal education along the way as well, it was a win in Erik’s book. He showed up back in Cobblestone a week after dropping her off to El’s total surprise. With his arm wrapped around himself in a rare display of insecurity, Erik explained that he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself now that he was alone again, and he asked to stay with El until he could figure it out. 

El happily accepted. What was better than living with your best friend? It was like a sleepover every day, and Amber took to Erik even faster than El could have imagined. He worried that Cobblestone’s slower pace of life wouldn’t suit Erik at all, but the more time he spent there, the more he effortlessly seemed to settle into country living. 

Life was perfect, up until the morning the Lantern fell.

Erik shook El awake much earlier than usual, his eyes wide and filled with concern. “We’ve got to get to the coast. Something’s happened with Erdwin’s Lantern.”

El’s heart dropped through his stomach. He supposed a year of peace had been too much to ask as Erdrea’s lauded savior. He begrudgingly got out of bed and dressed, and he waved a reassuring goodbye to his mother as they rode out to the coast. 

It all felt way too familiar, and El didn’t like it one bit.

* * *

The Lantern was gone, and all that remained in its place was a dense ball of dark, malicious energy. It was multitudes more awful than anything he felt roll off of Mordegon, and just looking up at it made El’s skin break out into goosebumps. He didn’t know what was up there, but he knew he couldn’t handle it now. Not without the others. He shakily reached out for Erik’s hand and pulled him back toward their horse. 

“We need to get everyone here. The sooner the better.”

Before they got back into town, Erik felt El turn into dead weight in front of him. He slumped back against Erik’s chest, and it took all of his strength to grab and right him so he didn’t completely fall off the horse. He managed to make it to the falls, and Erik carefully lifted El off of the horse and down onto the grass, silently thanking Amber for having him haul bags of grain around the village for the past month. El was lean, but still heavier than he looked. He brought cool water from the pond in his waterskin and poured it over El’s head, hoping it would be enough to bring him around. He wasn’t sure if they’d brought any herbs, and a distant feeling of dread sat in the pit of his stomach. Why did it feel like they’d been through something like this before?

El flinched at the feeling of cold water running down the back of his neck, and slowly opened his eyes. He squinted against the sunlight that broke through the treetops, trying to place where he was. Surely he hadn’t- no. Erik was here. He wasn’t at home. 

“Erik? What happened? My head hurts.”

Erik breathed a sigh of relief, and folded his arms over his knees. “I don’t know, I was hoping you could tell me. All of a sudden you went slack against me, and you almost rolled right off the horse. Are you feeling okay? I can have Serena check you over when the twins get here, or Rab…”

El held up his hand. “I’m okay. I think. I’m not sure what came over me, I’m probably just tired. I’m sorry to have worried you. Let’s just get back home.”

* * *

A week passed, and the rest of their friends had gathered in Cobblestone at El’s urgent request. The monster sightings had gotten more frequent. Many reported monsters with glowing, green eyes, and a much more vicious nature. They went out of their way to attack travelers or anyone unfortunate enough to be out past dark, and they were significantly stronger than usual. 

El glanced up at the dark star that dotted the otherwise blue sky. He hadn’t been sleeping well since the Lantern fell. Every dream made him feel like he was dying, and as tempting as it was to consider a restart, he had no idea why the Lantern collapsed, or the faintest idea of how to even prevent it from happening in the first place. 

There was always going to be something to fix. Eventually El wasn’t going to have the nerve to start it all over to do so, either. He looked up at Serena when he spoke, but he struggled to process her words. 

“An immense evil dwells within the star. I felt it as soon as it appeared, even all the way in Arboria. Reports say that Erdwin’s Lantern fell in the Celestial Sands, and the star rose just after. Gallopolis is alright, but quite shaken as you can imagine. Perhaps we should pay the Sultan a visit to see if they have any information.”

“No need for that!” Rab strode through the door with Jade, Hendrik, and Jasper in tow. The small, modest home felt crowded now with so many people inside, but it was comforting. For the first time since the star appeared El didn’t feel like his fear could swallow him whole.

Rab took a seat at the table, and motioned for everyone to gather around. “I’m afraid Mordegon wasn’t the Dark One after all. As soon as the Lantern fell we gathered Heliodor’s best minds, and legends state that Erdwin defeated the Dark One back in his time. What we cannae figure out is why it’s returned. Our best guess has something to do with the Lantern, but we need more information.” He rested his hands on the tabletop and shot El a smile. “Fancy a trip to Sniflheim, laddie?”

Erik bumped his shoulder with El’s to get his attention. “Before we do that, can we swing by the Academie to check in on Mia? I’m sure she’s fine, but peace of mind and all that.” He waved his hand dismissively, but the nerves were still there. 

El agreed to both. They could easily zoom to the Academie before heading over to Sniflheim to visit the library for whatever information they could gather on their new threat.

* * *

All was well with Mia, except for the fact that she begged to go with them when she heard about their plans. Erik refused, stating it was too dangerous and her semester was only halfway completed. 

“Absolutely not. I am not pulling you out of class to go face down some ancient evil. Not happening.”

She crossed her arms over her chest with an indignant huff. “You never let me do anything fun.”

“Not my fault you have a messed up idea of fun.” Considering how they’d grown up, he figured it probably was his fault, but he’d never cave to her whims. “We’ll be back when this is all taken care of. I’ll take you back to Gallopolis for winter break, okay?” 

He gave her a hug, (which she protested against, but ultimately hugged him back) and reminded her that his promise to teach her how to fight with knives was contingent on her passing the semester. She flashed him a certain finger and a cheeky grin just as he disappeared with the others in a magically-fueled whirlwind to Sniflheim.

A quick check-in with the Queen revealed that all was well within the city, but a terrible dragon had been released from the ice where Erdwin had sealed it ages ago. It was wreaking havoc on travelers trying to move between Arboria and Sniflheim, and they agreed that it was close enough to where they were headed that they could take care of it to ease the Queen’s worries. 

As another blast of tainted, purple fire surged against his shield, El started to question the validity of any of Erdwin’s seals. The fight was tedious and dragged on far too long. Every landed strike brought them closer to victory, but between the curses and spells, it was a slog. 

Chest heaving, El felt the most recent curse to plague him draw out the last of his strength. Serena and Rab were dealing with their own issues, and were unable to reach him before he crumpled into the snow. His eyes slowly fell shut as the sounds around him faded to a faint buzz.

 _Not again. I don’t want to have to do this all over again_.

But when he gasped fresh air back into his lungs and finally opened his eyes, he wasn’t at home in Cobblestone. He was lying in the snow, his friends all circled around him with varying expressions of panic and fear. Serena hovered over him as his vision slowly came back into focus.

“El? Can you hear me?”

He felt her hands on the sides of his face, and he tried to sit up through the colossal wave of nausea that rocked his stomach. 

“Where- Serena? What’s going on?” He choked back a panicked sob, and his eyes darted around their group of friends. He was still here. This didn’t make sense. He should be back at home, back in time…

Serena’s hands moved down to hold his own, her expression somber. 

“I revived you. I had to bring you back, El. You were...” She looked down at their joined hands and squeezed.

“You were dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -gritting my teeth- I'm trying not to write ships into this fic, I _swear_. Call me out on my subtext bullshit. Please XD


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I added the tag last chapter, but there's some serious Act 3 spoilers in this one. Also I'm sorry for where I cut this one. But I'm also kind of not. :)

El felt like he was frozen in place. His chest heaved as he tried to catch breaths that wouldn’t settle. Serena’s words echoed through his head, getting louder and louder until-

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay.”

He didn’t mean to lash out at them, but the panic took over while his frustration and fear grew. He pulled his hands out from Serena’s grasp and shoved Erik’s hand off of his shoulder. 

“I shouldn’t be here. I don’t understand, I-” He searched the sky for Yggdrasil. She was right where she’d been, floating in the sky since his last reset. 

His very last reset, it seemed.

Veronica stepped closer with her hands on her hips. “What are you going on about? Of course you’re supposed to be here! Where else would you have gone other than-” She stopped when it all clicked into place. If he was still here after being briefly dead, that meant...

The loop was broken. Something between defeating Mordegon and the Dark Star appearing had changed El’s ability to loop back in time.

“You can’t go back.”  
Serena slowly got back to her feet next to her sister. “Well, I’m quite glad he can’t go back. That seems like such an awful thing to have to worry about.”

El bit back a bitter laugh. She didn’t have a clue. “It was my fail-safe, and now it’s just...gone. He took a deep breath, his hands still shaking. “I was so used to living one moment to the next, thinking that nothing mattered because I could just reset it all if I messed it up. But now I can’t.”

He looked up at his friends, the people who had stuck with him through the resets, the battles, and still stood with him now that things weren’t looking good. Hot, angry tears threatened to spill from the corners of his eyes.

“What if I mess up again? We won’t be able to fix it.”

Erik’s knees sank into the wet snow, and he grabbed El’s shaking hands. “Then we figure it out. Together. We’re here for you, and we’re not going anywhere, okay?”

As much as El wanted answers, there were more important things to be dealing with than his sudden mortality. He gave Erik the least convincing nod he’d ever seen, and let him carefully help him back up.

“Let’s just get to the library. My feet are getting numb.”

* * *

The library had been the right choice. There were several tomes that recounted Erdwin’s journey, and they were all stacked on the side table beside the fireplace they gathered around to pour over them. All of his physical wounds now fully patched, El’s nerves were still frayed as he skimmed the pages. There were several mentions of a dark being, and how Erdwin and his companions had disposed of it with the sword of light.

Footsteps echoed from down the hall, and in a second everyone tensed into striking positions. The monsters had been all but cleared out of the library, but that didn’t mean a few hadn’t hidden away and slipped through the cracks. 

Gentle laughter sounded from the doorway, and a woman with a long, navy braid and a magenta gown leaned against the doorframe.

“You will not find the answers you seek here.”

“And who may you be?” Veronica asked, flames springing to life in her palms in warning.

The intruder shook her head with a smile. “Now, now. There’s no need for that. I am not here to harm, only to provide some guidance for our dearest Luminary.” Her level gaze settled on where El sat next to the fire, and a shiver shot up his spine.

“How do you know who I am?”

She knelt down beside him and examined how the firelight reflected off of his eyes. “A light like yours is hardly mistakable. I am known as the Seer, and I appear differently to different people.” She glanced up at Erik, and he stared back, wide-eyed.

“That’s why you seemed so familiar, but you were-”

She changed forms, suddenly resembling a completely different person.

“Yeah. Like that.”

She shifted back to her previous form, and focused her attention back on El. “The great evil you are meant to face is known as Calasmos, the Dark One. It wishes to end all life in Erdrea, and it will not stop until that goal is met. You must stop it, as Erdwin failed to do all of those years ago.”

El brows drew down in confusion. “Failed? What are you talking about? Erdwin slayed the Dark One, and then became the star. The lantern.”

“Ah, that is where written history and old wives’ tales are mistaken.”

The others gathered around to listen intently to their mysterious visitor. The Seer glanced at Veronica and Serena with a knowing smile.

“The daughters of Arboria, descendants of Serenica. Could you please assist me with this next part?”

The twins carefully followed the Seer’s instructions, and before everyone’s eyes a bright, white light began to envelop them as they prayed to Yggdrasil. Sprawling, mystical branches sprouted from their joined hands, and they were encased in the form of a glowing tree trunk. Light ignited from the mark on El’s hand in turn, and he stepped closer to receive the vision that waited within.

He was transported to the past, to the Celestial Sands. An enormous being was laid out in the middle of the desert, and Erdwin was poised over it to put an end to the evil once and for all.

Until a shadow fell across him, and he felt a slicing pain through his back.

Morcant, one of Erdwin’s most trusted companions held the bloodstained weapon with a cruel smile. He struck the hero down before he could deliver the final blow, and was left in the sand to perish.

El’s sight slowly returned from the vision, and the twins returned to their normal state. Everyone stood in shocked silence, and The Seer was no longer in her previous form. 

Morcant himself stood before them, his expression grave as he revealed his true identity. “It is the truth. The darkness took advantage of me that fateful day, and I was the one who put an end to the Hero of Legends, and my dearest friend. Trust me when I say I was not in my right mind. The power was so horribly overwhelming that before I had known what I was doing, it was already done.”

El looked across the room to where Erik stood, leaning against the edge of a bookcase. He wouldn’t meet his eyes, his gaze fixed on the rug. Could something like that happen to Erik, to any of his friends? Would he even be able to defend himself if it did? Before he could let his mind spiral too far, it was more than clear what had to be done. They had to take care of this Calasmos before it took care of them.

“So how do we stop it?”

Morcant’s outline began to grow faint. With his final purpose now fulfilled, his soul longed to finally return to Yggdrasil’s waiting branches. “Go to Arboria, to the Luminary’s Landing. Call for the ancient steed of the skies, and seek out the guidance of the Watchers. They will have the key to the answers you seek.”

El nodded, committing the instructions to memory, even if they didn’t make much sense to him now.

“One final thing, Luminary.”

His attention snapped back to Morcant’s quickly-fading visage. 

“Time has been fragmented, and the consequences will not go unpaid.”

* * *

Those final words echoed in El’s head all the way to Arboria. What could Morcant have possibly meant about time being fragmented? Had he known about his previous ability? All he did was skip back a few times. It couldn’t have disturbed the timelines that much...could it?

Arboria was more than pleased to find the Luminary himself in their company, but the feeling wasn’t mutual. Something about Arboria always made El’s skin crawl, and he stole himself away to a quiet balcony facing the forest as soon as he could while Serena and Veronica made their greeting rounds. Living here must have been exhausting if you were anyone of importance. 

Once their business was settled, the twins led everyone up the grand staircase to the cathedral. The High Priest eagerly awaited them, and presented them with the Calamus Flute; Serenica’s own instrument and Arboria’s greatest treasure just after the descendants of Serenica themselves. His instructions were to take it up to the Luminary’s Landing, and play it. The legendary steed was supposed to be summoned from a simple tune when played on the flute, but it all sounded a little too easy for El to believe.

Seeing was believing, and once the mighty sky whale known as Cetacea sailed through the clouds and came to a rest where they stood on the landing, El had almost toppled backwards onto his behind if it hadn’t been for Erik’s quick thinking in catching him. The priest had been right; a few simple notes was all it took to summon the ancient steed that once carried Erdwin and the legendary heroes into battle with Calasmos all of those years ago.

El carefully climbed onto Cetacea’s back, and extended his hand out to help the others up as well. Once everyone was settled, Cetacea took off into the sky with little warning. Despite the air whistling through their hair, they stayed steady while the mythical creature sailed through the clouds above. Erdrea looked beautiful from up here, and the more time El spent admiring the mountains that rolled into rivers and plains, the more he realized he needed to do everything he could to keep it safe. Even if it meant not being able to start over. 

Except he had no idea where they were going. The sky whale seemed to have a course in mind, and El decided there was no harm in sitting back and letting her navigate. Even if he had known where the Watchers Morcant spoke of dwelled, he wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to get there from this vantage point. Everything looked too small to be discernible from their altitude. 

The trip itself was relatively uneventful, and it turned out that travel by air had been necessary when they reached their destination. A small nation of islands that sat miles above the surface, each connected with a series of enchanted moving platforms that floated through the air. It looked too strange to be real, and that thought doubled when El spotted one of the Watchers themself.

“LUMINARY! WELCOME! WE HAVE AWAITED YOUR ARRIVAL!”

El staggered back into Jade when the small, stout being greeted him in their high-pitched voice. “Hi. Uh, I’m El, and these are my companions.” Each of them stepped forward and introduced themselves, and the Watcher’s smile only grew. 

“WELCOME, ALL! PLEASE, COME TO THE TEMPLE. MUCH TO DISCUSS.”

It turned out that the Watchers were already aware of El’s...situation. They knew of Calasmos before it made itself known to the rest of Erdrea, and they all seemed confident that El and his friends would be able to defeat him. They spoke of trials beneath the ruins of Zwaardsrust to aid in their preparation, and an ancient power for Cetacea to be able to break through Calasmos’s barrier of darkness.

They took El aside and asked about his last jump through time. He explained that it stopped sometime after Calasmos appeared, and the Watcher sadly shook their head.

“I SEE. YOU MUST VISIT SERENICA. TAKE THIS.”

_Serenica_? El supposed that it wasn’t too far out of the realm of possibility when they’d all just met Morcant a few days prior. He slowly shook his head and thanked the Watchers for their help, taking the strange wheel-shaped key they’d given him and shoving it into his bag.

Luckily Cetaca had some way of knowing exactly where they needed to go next, because El didn’t even have the beginning of a clue where this tower was located. Erik mentioned seeing something strange when they were near Arboria, but they wouldn’t have had anything else to go off of other than that.

When they landed, all El could see were tockles. They dotted the cliffs and marched along the pathway, presumably toward something important. The others were still blind to the small, mysterious creatures, so El carefully led the way through the throngs of them that littered the ground. He'd never seen so many in one place before, and it was a little unsettling. 

The cliffs opened up to a large clearing, and a building not unlike Octagonia towered above them. How they'd missed this area before El had no idea, but he didn't waste any time as he strode up the stairs and dug the gear key out of his bag. It slotted into the door perfectly, and in a matter of moments they cautiously walked into the cavernous tower. 

It was mostly empty inside save for a seemingly endless drop below, and a single, winding path upwards. Without another option, they took the series of moving platforms up to the top where a lone, lanky tockle awaited them.

"What _is_ that?" Jade asked, eyeing the creature up from where it stood.

"Wait, you can see it too?"

Everyone nodded. So this one was visible to everyone, that was a relief. 

"Luminary…welcome. I am the Timekeeper. I have much to show you…" The creature extended its long arms, and El's mark reacted in time. He turned to the others with an unsure look and stepped closer. 

Another vision, but this one of Serenica. She took the sword of light after Erdwin's passing and brought it to the same tower they were in now. She smashed the sword against a sparkling orb, only cracking it as the sword shattered. Exhausted, Serenica collapsed where they now stood, and became the creature before them. 

"The Timekeeper...That's...Serenica!" Serena exclaimed. 

El blinked the brightness from his eyes and focused on the sphere behind Serenica. There was no blemish, not even a scratch. He stepped closer and placed his hand on it, and when he did, his mark began to burn so fiercely he almost retracted it like he'd accidentally touched something straight out of the oven. It faded as quickly as it came on, and he chalked it up to another strange side effect of his power.

"The crack in Time's Sphere...I suspect that is what allowed your spirit to reset itself after death. When Mordegon was defeated...it began to seal. Now that it is gone...so is your ability."

El removed his hand from the sphere’s perfectly smooth surface. It made sense. Time had repaired itself, and that included making him completely susceptible to mortality. He was brought out of his thoughts when Serenica spoke again.

"There is a great evil...you must defeat it once and for all...where we failed."

The floor beneath them shone with a bright light, and Serenica beckoned the twins closer. She began to hum a familiar song, and asked them to join her. Together, the light grew until it shot out of the top of the tower. Cetacea hovered above, and the golden light encased her, leaving behind glimmering, gilded armor.

So _that's_ what the Watcher had meant about an upgrade for Cetacea.

Informed but still unsatisfied with the answers, El and the others bid Serenica farewell. There was no helping what had happened, and El knew now that they only had one shot to take Calasmos down for good. The pressure was fit to crush him, but he shouldered it as he always did and put on a brave face for his friends. 

They dropped everyone off one by one, vowing to meet back up again once all of their personal preparations were settled before traveling up to fight the manifestation of pure evil that floated above Erdrea like an awful warning of what was to come.

Unknowingly to them at the same time, when El and his companions left the tower, another blinding light shot into the sky like it had to bless Cetacea. With the tower at their backs as they flew through the clouds, it went unnoticed. Not long after, a figure emerged from its large double doors, scared and confused as they ventured out into an unfamiliar world all alone.

* * *

A month later, everyone arrived back in Heliodor. Preparations made, they decided to check in on a few places that had reported monster trouble before heading to Zwaardsrust for the trials.

Phnom Nonh was just as busy as ever, especially now that the town had been freed from the curse that had been cast over it forcing its residents to dance until total exhaustion.

Erik wandered the crowds in search of his best friend. If he knew him well enough (and he certainly did after living together for months), he'd forgotten to eat lunch, and was probably holed up somewhere studying a new recipe or reworking something he found in the shops. 

He caught a glimpse of familiar straight, brown hair and a purple jacket across the square, but it looked shorter than Erik had remembered. El had started to grow out his hair after the fight with Mordegon, and it was practically sweeping against his shoulders now. Had he stopped for a haircut while in town? Erik approached him from behind and placed a hand on his shoulder with a grin.

"You lost? I grabbed some of those chocolates Mia loves so much." 

El whirled around, his eyes wide. When he recognized who it was, his fear shifted to annoyance. "Erik? I...where were you? Where is everyone else?"

"...And who is Mia?"

Erik began to laugh, but he abruptly stopped when he noticed the tears in El's eyes. "Hey, what's wrong? You know who Mia is, we just saw her the other week, remember? At the Academie?"

"No...you have the wrong person, I-" His guilty gaze shot up when someone else called Erik's name. Someone with a familiar voice.

El took Erik’s distraction as an opportunity to run. Unfortunately for him, Erik was more than proficient at tailing someone through a crowd. This El moved like he was lost; like he’d almost never been here before. Clumsy and unsure of himself, he ducked under an awning and pressed his back against the cool stone wall of one of the buildings that lined the main square. If Erik was here, hopefully that meant the others were too. But something was wrong. Erik was different. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but the difference was noticeable enough to upset him.

When Erik finally caught up, he found El curled up with his back against the wall, his chest still heaving from running. He looked up with the same fear in his eyes as before, and Erik couldn’t help to think he looked like a trapped animal. It reminded him of the last time El looked like this.

It had been right before he died, the first time.

Erik turned at the sound of someone calling his name, and he nearly broke his neck in a double-take when he noticed who it was. The El he knew was making his way through the crowds, his hair tied back halfway like he did when the heat began to bother him. Erik ran his hands through his hair, gripping the ends with a frustrated snarl.

“What in the _hell_ is going on?!”

El approached him with a cheery smile, still completely unaware of the situation. "Erik, there you are! I hope you didn't end up picking up chocolate for Mia too, because I-" 

The parcel in El's hands fell to the ground as he stared back at eerily similar blue-grey eyes. It was almost like looking into a mirror, only worse because his reflection moved on its own when he flinched back like he'd been struck.

"Who in the seven hells are _you_?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Takes the new El- this is my character now. Most of this was written in a caffeine haze, and I will be the first to admit that split timelines and stuff blows my little brain. So if something doesn't track or make sense i.e. timeline fuckery, OH WELL! :D My rules, and there are none :P 
> 
> -Yeets this into the abyss- Enjoy, friends, and thanks for sticking with me. <3
> 
> P.S. I still hate writing Watcher dialogue. Why do I do this to myself.

_“Who in the seven hells are you?”_

The double glanced up and wrinkled his brow. Longer hair, a little taller. He slowly got to his feet and stood face to face with his slightly older reflection. 

It all began to make sense. Yggdrasil was still floating peacefully in the sky, and there hadn’t been any signs of her falling in Arboria or anywhere else he’d been in the last month. The only difference he’d noticed was the blob of dark energy that floated in the sky on the other side of Erdrea.

“I think...I’m _you_. But things were a lot different before I woke up. I don’t know how long it’s been." 

Erik put a hand on each of their shoulders to get their attention. "We should go get the others, and maybe we can start to figure this out."

They thought it best to grab a few rooms in the inn for the night, and their newly discovered El donned one of Erik's hoods to avoid suspicion from the innkeeper. He was widely recognized as the Luminary now, and he wasn't known to have a twin.

Settled in a room and hidden behind a closed door, Erik went to gather the others while the pair of Els began to work out what had happened.

"So where did you come from? You said things were different, how could that-" He stopped and put his chin to his hand in thought.

The other El took a deep breath. "I woke up in a strange tower a few weeks ago. There was this thing- it almost looked like a tockle but it was really tall. Like someone stretched one out."

El held back a chuckle at the loose description of the Timekeeper. "The Tower of Lost Time. We were just there about a- Wait. When did you say you woke up?"

"About a month ago, give or take a few days, probably. I wandered around for a while before I made it to Arboria. I had no idea so much time had passed since I blacked out. I honestly thought I died."

"But you would have had to. Because I woke up back in Cobblestone."

The other El folded his hands in his lap. "I don't know what happened. I remember being up on Yggdrasil, Then Mordegon basically shoved his hand through my chest. After that, nothing."

Oh. So _that_ was where he came from. The crack in the Time Sphere had sealed over, but that still didn’t explain why he was here.

"So am I like, some sort of reincarnation of you? Are we even the same person?" El held out his hand and began to examine it as if he'd find anything amiss. It was just as it had always been, a small scar across the back of it from when he'd fallen out of a tree when he was younger. He glanced over to his double's hands, and spotted the same mark marring his skin.

"I think so. What's your favorite food?"

"Mum's stew. Where did you first meet Sylvando?"

"At the circus, in Gallopolis." They traded facts back and forth for a few more minutes, and every one of them matched up.

El sighed. "Sounds like we really are the same. I don't know what sort of stunt Yggdrasil might have pulled, but you're here now, and we've got to explain this to the others when they get back."

The other El's eyes welled at the thought of seeing his friends again, even if only more than a year and a half had passed since he'd seen them last. Considering he thought them dead, it would be nice to see them alive and well even though they’d most certainly be a little different than he remembered. They'd all had experiences he wouldn't understand or know, but he'd happily listen to all of the stories and what life was like without the threat of Mordegon looming over Erdrea.

Soon enough there was a light knock at the door, and Erik poked his head into the room.

"You guys ready? I found everyone." 

They both gave him a thumbs-up, and Erik opened the door fully. A chorus of gasps and other shocked sounds filled the space just before the group did, filing in one by one to take a seat and make sure they were really seeing two Luminaries. 

"What a surprise! Have you been hiding a twin from us, Ellie dear?" Sylvando asked with an accusatory eyebrow wiggle.

Rab chimed in as well. "I always thought myself lucky to find my grandson, but I never imagined I'd end up with two!" 

The lighthearted joking came to a screeching halt when Veronica said what the rest of them were thinking. "You'd better have an explanation for this, El. What’s going on?!" 

El held his hands up to stop any further comments. "We barely know more than you at this point. Erik ran into him out by the market. From what we've gathered he's me from the past. The one where Yggdrasil fell."

The other El shrunk into his double’s side at the sight of Hendrik and Jasper flanking Jade across the room. Why were _they_ here? A lot had definitely changed in the time he was gone.

Erik took a seat beside them on the edge of the bed. "But you woke up back in Cobblestone, right? Wouldn't that mean you died?"

El shook his head. "It would, but you all remembered what happened too after that reset. That didn’t happen before- when I died the first time, remember? You didn't know who I was the next time around. Something else must have happened with the fall, and we both have a feeling Yggdrasil did something with her dying breath. She saved me somehow, but also let me die so it would all reset? It doesn't make any sense but he's here now, and at least we've got an extra set of hands to help with Calasmos."

The other El tensed. "What's Calasmos?"

Jade stepped forward from where she was leaning against the wall, and the other El watched her bodyguards warily. She followed his gaze and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, I suppose the last time you saw these two it wasn't very pleasant, was it? Well, there's no need to worry. Hendrik is on our side this time around, and we were able to save Jasper once Mordegon was defeated. He's...making up for some lost time, and he won’t hurt you, right?” She elbowed him in the side, and he bowed.

“Of course. I am at your service, Luminary.” 

Jade suppressed a laugh at the display. “Anyway, we're all sure you've noticed the new addition to the skyline. That's Calasmos."

Serena joined in to explain further. "It came from Erdwin's Lantern a few months ago. It's known as the Dark One, and seeks to destroy all life in Erdrea."

The other El looked to his double with a grimace. "Geez, and I thought _I_ had it bad with Mordegon."

El wanted to slap him. That certainly would have looked funny, but he restrained himself with a steadying breath as he scanned across the room. "Any more questions?"

His double tapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah, I have one. How did you break Veronica's curse? I don't think I've ever seen her at her full height before. It's kinda weird."

She huffed from her spot beside her sister. "Says you, dropping in from out of nowhere! _You're_ the weird one. By the way…" She pointed at the both of them. "We need a new name for one of you before this gets any more confusing. Is your name short for something? We've only ever known you as El."

"Yeah, it's uh, it's short for…" They had to almost lean in to catch him muttering it under his breath. 

"It's short for Elton."

Of course Rab knew this from when he was born, but he’d always wondered if there was a reason El chose to abbreviate it.

"Well, that solves it! You’re El, and the new one is Elton!"

"I'd rather you didn't," El spoke up with a frown.

"Huh?"

He cast a guilty glance to his grandfather. "No hard feelings about the name, but it never really felt right considering how I grew up. Why don't I stay El, and we can call him…Lumi? That okay?" He knew it wasn’t the best name, but he couldn’t think of anything better on the spot.

The double nodded with a small smile. It was a little too cutesy for his tastes, and shortening his title as a name wouldn’t have been his first choice, but it would be fine for however long he’d be stuck here. If him and El really were the same person, he knew they didn’t have much to go off of in the creativity department. 

“Works for me.”

With that decided, they now had to figure out how to disguise one of them so he wasn’t immediately recognized as another Luminary. 

“I’ll do it. New look to match the new name, right?” Lumi said, his arm wrapped protectively around his side.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I could certainly use a haircut.” El ran his fingers through his shoulder-length hair with a laugh. “Although it is nice being able to tie it back.”

“No, I want to. Might not be a bad thing to distance myself from being...myself.” It hurt to admit, but the memories of his failures were still fresh in his mind. He didn’t really want to be associated with that version of himself, especially now that he could potentially help his friends now, in this timeline. 

He took the shears that Serena pulled from her bag, sat down in front of the floor-length mirror, and began to snip. Clumps of light brown hair fell around him as he went, and when he was done it fell just around his ears. He handed the shears back over for Serena to clean up the back and any other parts he missed, but it already felt good. 

“I can’t remember the last time I was able to see my ears.” He experimented with parting it different ways, and even tried to push it back so it sort of looked slicked back like Erik’s. “What do you think?”

El swept up the last of the hair clippings, and Serena took a step back to admire her work. “You look lovely! Although…” She trailed off as she glanced between the two of them. “It’s a good start, but you still look awfully similar. What else could we do?”

“They should have some henna dye down at the market, if you’re willing to change up the color,” Sylv mentioned. He circled around and held one of the shortened strands up to the light. “Your color should take just about anything. So, what do you say? Up for even more of a transformation?”

Lumi glanced up at Sylv through the mirror with a wicked grin. “Absolutely.”

Another hour or so later, Lumi sat back in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped loosely around his shoulders. The damp, darkened bangs hung limp in front of his eyes, and he grinned back at his reflection. He looked completely different. He wasn’t El, or _Elton_ , or whoever he’d been when Yggdrasil fell. 

He was _Lumi_ now, and so far things looked like they were going to work out just fine.

* * *

Stocked up and well rested, the group made their way to Zwaardsrust. Before they could search the ruins for the enchanted door that led to the trials, an eerily familiar voice rang out in El’s mind.

 _Take him to the Watchers_.

He blinked hard a few times to make sure he wasn’t just hearing things, but the voice lingered in his head. He glanced at Lumi to see if he’d heard it too, but he looked oblivious as he knelt down to re-tie his boot. He was probably still breaking them in considering they’d just picked them up a few days ago. He’d ditched his duster as well, giving it to El as an extra. 

Lumi really did look like another person with all of the changes. He donned simple black pants, laced-up boots, and gloves to match, along with a sapphire-toned tunic similar to Erik’s, but without the hood and plunging neckline. It was cinched at the waist with a golden sash, and the jewel tones brought out the blue in his eyes enough that his and El’s almost looked like different colors entirely. 

They’d done a fantastic job in disguising him, and he seemed more than happy with the changes, too.

“Hey, did you hear something just now?”

Lumi shook his head. “No, did you?”

“Yeah, something about taking you to go see the Watchers. Now that I think about it, that might not be a bad idea. Give me a minute.”

El gave the others as little information as possible, saying that him and Lumi had to go take care of something before they began the trials, and that it would only take an hour or two. He grabbed Lumi’s hand and casted a zoom spell before he could ask where they were going or what the hell a ‘Watcher’ was, chuckling to himself as Lumi’s surprised yelp faded into the open air as they took to the sky.

The spell gently dropped them down on the floating islands of the Watchers, and El watched with an amused smile while Lumi’s head whipped from side to side to take in their new surroundings. He was like a kid seeing the ocean for the first time.

“We’re...floating. On an island. What is this place? Why are we here?”

“I’m still not exactly sure, but-” Before El could explain, one of the Watchers popped out from behind a bush and scared the daylights out of both of them. El still wasn’t used to their chipper voices.

LUMINARIES! WELCOME! ELDER WISHES TO SEE YOU!

“At least that’s one less thing we have to explain. It’ll make sense...maybe. Come on.” El waved Lumi on, and they made their way over to the mural where the elder Watcher waited for them. 

They stood before the elder, and El bowed out of respect while shoving Lumi’s head down to follow his lead.

“Thank you for having us, Elder.”

“LUMINARIES! YOU ARE TWO HALVES OF ONE WHOLE. YGGDRASIL SPLIT SPIRIT WHEN YOU FAILED. HALF REBORN, OTHER STORED IN TIME’S SPHERE. RELEASED WHEN CRACK SEALED AND POWER ACTIVATED.”

The elder pointed to El’s hand, and suddenly that weird reaction he had in the Tower of Lost time made more sense. His hand glowed when he touched the sphere because he was releasing Lumi. That was why he showed up when he did. He’d been freed.

“So I set him free with my mark, and we’re...two halves of a whole? Are we always going to be like this?”

The elder shook his head. “NOT KNOW. BUT TOGETHER, YOUR POWER IS STRONGER. STRONG ENOUGH TO DEFEAT DARK ONE. MUST UNLOCK FULL POTENTIAL.”

Without warning he extended his hand, and a golden mist began to swirl around Lumi. He suppressed a giggle, and El raised an eyebrow at the reaction. 

“What? It kinda tickles.”

When the light faded, Lumi’s mark kept glowing, and storm clouds rolled in above them. He called down a massive bolt of lightning, and it struck just beside the floating island down to the ground below. All of the Watchers jumped in fear, but El and the Elder barely flinched. 

Lumi hid his hands behind his back with an embarrassed grin. “Whoops, sorry! We’ll iron that out later. Got more juice than I thought.” He flexed his fingers and inspected them before shoving his hands back into his pockets.

El shook his head with a half-hearted sigh, a smile already breaking through his shock. “Yeah. We’ll have to reign that in so you don’t fry us. Let’s thank them and get back to the others before they start to get worried.”

* * *

“Thanks for waiting! Just some last-minute Luminary stuff, you all know how it goes.” El’s nonchalant attitude was enough to make them all a bit nervous. He was acting strangely calm considering they were preparing to face down an ultimate evil that threatened all life as they knew it.

The rest of the group had discovered the door to the trials while El and Lumi were on their little sidequest, and they were led down one of the crumbling staircases and into an underground hallway. At the end sat a door El could have sworn used to have some sort of magical sigil sealing it, but as they got closer, the stone doors swung open to reveal a single, glowing platform. As soon as the last person stepped onto it, they were transported through a void-like space before their feet touched back down in a familiar landscape. 

All of the trials looked similar to places they’d been before, but altered slightly to keep them on their toes. Everything seemed to be going almost _too_ smoothly until they reached the end. 

They strode through an empty, cavernous room with incredibly high ceilings, and in the center of it stood none other than Drustan himself.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised considering we’ve met Morcant and Serenica now, too. Does death not affect these people?!” Veronica exclaimed, but quickly changed her tune when El shot her a glare.

“Welcome, Luminaries and comrades. Thou must be prepared if you have made it this far. But you are not yet victorious. There is one final challenge.”

El knew he was a little overconfident after they'd all but breezed through the trials, but he never expected to face off against his mind's interpretation of death itself as their last hurdle. Drustan had explained that their final test would be facing his deepest, most vulnerable fears, and they would only emerge victorious if they were able to face and overcome it together.

A ghostly skeletal creature in tattered robes floated before them, laughing maniacally.

 _This is where you finally die, accursed Luminary_.

El stood frozen in place, the all-too-recent memories of dying and being brought back in the Snaerfelt fresh in his mind as his eyes clouded over in fear.

It fired off a couple of spells meant to incapacitate the others, but with Serena's blessings and mystical protections, they were able to avoid the brunt of it. The damage from its sword was no laughing matter, but it was dodgeable as long as they were paying attention. 

Except El was still frozen in place.

Lumi shoved him out of the way before he was sliced in half by a vicious downswing of the creature’s sword. “Hey, I don’t know if I die when you do, but I don’t really feel like finding out!”

 _Your soul is MINE_!

The creature clicked it's teeth in what he assumed to be a taunt, and El’s eyes slowly focused back to the present when Lumi began to snap his fingers in front of his face. He held the back of his gloved hand up, and their marks began to glow in time. “Let’s do this.”

El slowly got to his feet and turned to Lumi with a curt nod. It was time to show this thing that he wasn’t scared or controlled by his fear. He wasn’t alone, and if he had to die, it wouldn’t be in vain. 

They pulled electricity from the air as the energy centered itself around the pair, and with one simultaneous swipe of their arms, an enormous, sparking bolt of lightning crashed down through the ceiling and obliterated the creature. It screamed in pain as the lightning began to tear it apart. 

_Trust in your abilities. You are stronger together _.__

__El had no idea where the new voice was coming from, but it was soothing. With another nod to Lumi, they unleashed a flurry of synchronized sword attacks charged with what remained of their light magic._ _

__The creature cried out in fury from the righteous light that sprouted from between the dual Luminaries’ fingers, and with one final attack it was no more. El’s shoulders slumped from physical and emotional exhaustion, and before he knew it, he dropped down to take a knee and catch his breath._ _

__Maybe they actually had a shot at this._ _

__El wiped the sweat from his brow and shot Lumi a genuine smile. "We make a pretty good team. Thanks for that."_ _

__Lumi dusted the soot from his shirt and returned the smile while he held out his hand to help him up. "No problem. And yeah, we do."_ _

__All that was left to do was to make their final upgrades and get a good rest before they headed up to take on Calasmos and finally bring Erdrea the peace it deserved. El admired the sunset as they emerged from the staircase, and his heart swelled in his chest as he watched all of his friends do the same._ _

__He’d do whatever he needed to make sure the world was safe for them and everyone else, and now that he had another ally to aid in the cause, he knew they’d come out victorious._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's gonna have a little more conflict before the big bad...stay tuned.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more to go after this! I can't believe it's almost over, and I can't wait to share the ending with you guys!! Thank you so much for all of the support, I couldn't have done this every week without you!! <3
> 
> It's feelings hours.

Camp was quieter than usual. They’d taken a few days rest after the trials to make sure everything was in order before heading up to take on Calasmos. El noticed Lumi drifting further and further into himself with each passing night. He felt his eyes on him throughout the day, watching him interact with his friends with silent judgement. He didn’t know what he’d done for the change in behavior. He seemed happy enough after they’d bested Drustan’s trials, but each day since then he only grew colder and colder towards El in particular.

They hadn’t really had the time to sit down with Lumi and explain what happened during the time he’d been sealed away. Jasper and Hendrik gathered logs and crates for seating, and everyone congregated around the campfire while they idly chatted about their plans post-Calasmos. The mood was light compared to the threat that loomed overhead. Tomorrow would be the day they’d finally face it head on, but they still had tonight to just be. 

But the further the evening wore on, the more Lumi only wanted to run and hide. No one seemed bothered to make direct conversation with him, and he felt like he didn’t know these people enough to ask or butt in. Feeling more and more like an outsider looking in, he kept his eyes on the ground and wrapped his arms around himself to try and quell the unpleasant feelings that bubbled like sour milk in his stomach.

He knew him and El were the same, but El had been allowed at least a temporary happy ending. His friends were still alive. He’d never had to live without them, and he'd been given the chance to try again and get things right. 

Lumi supposed he was being given the same chance now, but that didn’t change the fact that he was essentially alone. With Mordegon already defeated he couldn't exact his revenge for what had happened on Yggdrasil. Jasper was still here, but this Jasper hadn't done the awful things the Jasper did in his timeline. He was a new man, reformed thanks to his friends and his own determination to prove that he was better than Mordegon’s control. Hurting him out of misplaced spite now would be nothing short of cruel and unreasonable. 

He knew he wasn't _really_ alone. His friends were here even if it didn’t really feel like it right now. They were alive and they still loved him, but something was still missing. Their experiences and memories were completely different from those he’d left behind. Sure, they remembered what happened on Yggdrasil after the reset, but they'd moved on. They'd grown. 

While Lumi was left to rot in the time sphere. 

His anger bubbled beneath his skin, hot and vicious as he turned his cutting gaze on El from across the campfire. Right next to Erik. 

Always right next to Erik. Erik was _his_ best friend too. He deserved just as much attention.

From what he’d gathered in passing conversation they lived back in Cobblestone. There was still a lot of missing information, and instead of just asking for an explanation, Lumi decided to stew in his bitter feelings and glare at them from across the fire instead. Their shared whispers and giggles annoyed him to a final breaking point, and the next time Erik snorted at something El said, Lumi stood up and shouted in their direction.

“I’ve seen more than enough. I get it. Everyone’s such great friends, and I’m just here. A thorn in your sides. A tag-along nuscience!” 

The wind began to pick up around them, stoking the fire. Thick, dark storm clouds formed overhead, and Lumi’s eyes began to glow along with his hand. “I didn’t _ask_ to be spit out here, with people who don’t even know what I’m feeling! Who don’t even care enough to _ask_!”

Erik stood up and braced himself against the wind before running over to where Lumi stood while everyone watched on in shock at the sudden outburst.

“That’s not true!” he shouted over the mounting storm. His words got lost in the rumbling thunder, and El watched on with his hands worriedly clasped in his lap. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well. His eyes widened when he saw the tips of Lumi’s fingers begin to spark.

“Erik, don’t get too close! The lightning!” 

He heard El’s warning a moment too late, and his hand seared in pain as he grabbed Lumi’s and pulled him in for a tight hug. He ignored the fire ripping through his left hand and rested his uninjured one on the top of Lumi’s head while he mumbled reassurances.

“It’s okay, you’re okay. We’re here for you, you know? You’re not any different just because you weren’t around for a while. You’re still my best friend. Doesn’t change a thing.”

Lumi collapsed into the hug, and the storm clouds began to dissolve along with his anger. He took a few moments to completely relax, and when he did he soon realized what he’d done. He reached for Erik’s hand in a panic, his fingertips already glowing green to try and fix it.

“I...I hurt you. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean...I still don’t have a good handle on the upgrade from the other day, and I must have lost it-”

Erik didn’t know what he was talking about, but he figured it probably had something to do with where they’d ran off to before the trials. He held his burnt hand steady while the magic soaked into his skin, and he ignored the fading sting while Lumi’s breathing finally started to level off.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said through a wince. That mark sure did burn when it lit up. Erik made a mental note not to go anywhere near it again unless it was an emergency. The gloves hadn’t made it any less dangerous. “Just breathe. We can talk about it later.”

Lumi let out a long breath. “Yeah. Later. I’m sure Serena can look over that to make sure it’s fine but...I think I need a minute, sorry.” He pushed Erik away more roughly than intended and bolted for the edge of camp. He needed time to cool off, away from everyone’s concerned whispers and glances. 

Erik watched him go, his mouth twisted down into a frown. “What _was_ that?”

He carefully got back up and made his way back to the campfire. He let Serena look over his hand again, and it would heal up just fine by the morning. He plopped back down in his seat next to El and threw a reassuring arm around his shoulder. El hadn’t moved since the outburst. 

“Quit worrying, I can almost _hear_ it. You didn’t do anything wrong. We’ll figure it out when he comes back, okay?”

El bit down on his lip almost to the point of splitting it. “But what if he doesn’t? I don’t think I can do this without him, Erik.”

“I think you need to let him know that.”

* * *

Lumi tensed when he heard someone sit down beside him, but he couldn’t imagine anyone would want to talk to him after he’d screamed at El and accidentally injured Erik. He didn’t mean to be so bitter, and he truly did appreciate the kindness the others had shown him since he found them, but it just wasn’t enough. 

These people hadn’t been through what he had. They didn’t understand how he felt. He had to watch his friends die while his own life slipped away, and here they all were, able to act like it had all just been a bad dream. When he finally looked up, he made eye contact with none other than Jasper. 

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to talk to, but I think I may be able to help you.”

Lumi cast him a wary glance, his guard still very much up. He hadn’t really spoken to Hendrik or Jasper outside of training, but he’d watched the others interact with them enough to know that they weren’t any sort of threat despite what his memory told him. He relaxed his posture and let his shoulders slump down with a huff.

“It’s alright that you don’t like who you used to be. I certainly don’t.”

Of course. Jasper had more than his fair share of demons to haunt him about his past. He’d let his jealousy and anger fuel him instead of trusting in his ally, and he’d allowed Mordegon to try and steer his fate in exchange for the chance to gain the power to surpass his friend-turned-rival.

In Lumi’s time, Jasper hurt them on more than one occasion. Because of him, Mordegon had been able to take them all down and Yggdrasil along with it. He played a major role in effectively ending the world.

But he didn’t know that. And he didn’t have to. That was then, and this was now. The man that sat just a few feet away from him would likely never step foot on Yggdrasil, and even if he did, things would be different. He turned to signal that Jasper had his attention, and silently urged him to continue.

“I almost irreversibly hurt those I’d sworn I’d protect until my dying day. Hendrik had every right to sentence me to death for high treason, and yet he did not. I always thought that I’d held the ultimate power while following Mordegon, but I discovered I was wrong. Ultimate power, true invincibility...it comes from others. The more time I spent doing things that I used to love with those whose company I enjoyed...I’d never felt better.”

Lumi shifted and leaned closer as the wind ruffled his hair. The more he listened, the more his chest ached in realization that Jasper was right.

“Anger and hatred are sources of great power, but they are unsustainable. Your lightning, it burns bright. But it is also untamed. No regard for who or what it hurts, as you saw with your companion. Anger blinds us to the things that are most important. Do not let it consume you.”

His advice given, Jasper gave Lumi a nod in thanks for giving him his attention before he moved to return back to the rest of the group. He didn’t know if his words would get past the wall Lumi had built around himself, but being able to relate, even if just a little bit…

He had to try.

Lumi sat in silence and let Jasper’s words ring in his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized they had more in common than he’d thought. He watched him sit shoulder to shoulder with Hendrik and shoot a smile across the fire to where Jade sat. He’d been able to atone for his past and move forward. He’d been able to repair what he’d broken with those he cared for.

He stood up and dusted off his tunic. He didn’t want to live in the past. He wanted to move forward. He wanted to bask in the firelight with his friends. He wanted to get to know them one by one, and be accepted back into their lives like he’d never been gone.

Erik watched him get up, and he motioned over to the empty spot on his right with his usual inviting grin.

Lumi hesitated for a moment, but when he scanned across the rest of the group’s faces, they were all giving him the same look, Jasper included. He bashfully shuffled back into the circle of firelight, and took the open seat next to Erik. Before he had a chance to get comfortable he felt Erik sling an arm around his shoulder and pull him closer. 

“Welcome back! We were just about to reminisce like a bunch of old timers.” He shot a wink over to where Rab sat with the twins. “No offense, grandpa.”

“None taken, laddie,” he answered with a chuckle.

“Anything in particular you wanna know? It’s only been a year or so, so you haven’t really missed _too_ much.”

Lumi fought back a sniffle. This was almost overwhelming compared to the crushing self-pity he’d felt just moments ago. 

“Tell me about Mia. I never got to meet her.”

Erik’s smile slipped for a second when he realized Lumi was right. Back in Lumi’s timeline, he hadn’t asked him to cure her. He felt guilty talking about her all this time without explaining who she was.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize the past-me was still too chickenshit to ask you to break-” He paused, not really wanting to delve into what exactly had happened to Mia. That could be a conversation for another night. Preferably not in front of all of his friends, either.

“Mia’s my little sister. Right now she’s in school at the Academie. After we kicked Mordegon’s ass, she and I took a world tour before she enrolled. You’d love her. Sometimes I think she likes El more than she likes me.”

Lumi started to giggle. That wasn’t hard to imagine. “Could I meet her after…” he loosely gestured up to the sky with a frown.

“Yeah, of course!” Erik began to think about them meeting, and slowly began to realize it might be more chaotic than he bargained for. That would be a problem for future Erik. And probably also future El.

They continued to chime in one by one to talk about what they’d been up to since defeating Mordegon, and Lumi’s bad mood melted away more and more with each story. They still were his friends. They just had a few extra stories this time around.

El leaned over and tapped Lumi on the shoulder to get his attention once the conversation began to fall into a lull.

“You know you have a home back in Cobblestone when this is all over, right? I sorta assumed you’d just come home with us, but that was wrong of me. I should have asked you. Sorry if that added to your feelings earlier.”

Lumi shook his head. “No, I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you sooner. I didn’t want to bother anyone when we had something more important to worry about, but turns out my anger’s a little...dangerous.” He cracked a smile, and El laughed along with him.

“You could say _that_ again. Really though. I mean it. You’re more than welcome to come back with us. Mum would be thrilled to meet you.”

Lumi’s eyes watered at the thought of seeing his mother again. There wasn’t anywhere else he’d rather go. It was in that moment that he realized he was horribly homesick, and it made him want to wake up tomorrow and end the Dark Star’s existence that much faster. 

“Yeah. That sounds great. Count me in.”

* * *

Morning came all too quickly, and everyone moved slower than usual. Today was the day they planned to take Calasmos down, and El felt like he was going to lose the meager amount of breakfast he’d been able to choke down. He could sense Lumi felt the same. He hadn’t said much of anything through breakfast, but El could tell his silence this time around was more nervous energy than spite. They were all on pins and needles. It was past time to put this to bed once and for all.

Their camp packed and cleaned up, El stood by the dying fire and cleared his throat. “Are we ready?” 

His voice wavered. As much as he wanted to sound like their fearless leader, he was still just as scared as any of them. This was their final battle, and he wanted to make it count. Everyone nodded in affirmation at his question, and they summoned Cetacea.

El’s nerves only worsened the closer they got. He’d known exactly what he was going against with Mordegon. He’d had another shot. This was the only shot he was going to get against Calasmos, and if they failed, it would spell the end for Erdrea. The pressure was immense; so much so that El’s back physically slumped under it the closer they got. 

Until he felt several hands on him. Erik grabbed his left, always ready to jump into anything if it meant helping those he loved. Lumi grabbed his right, his other half. They were one in the same, sharing fears and anxieties about their pasts, their failures. But none of that mattered now. They would fight as one, and bring peace back to Erdrea if it was the last thing they did.

Rab and Jade rested their hands on his shoulders, his long-lost family. They’d stuck with him through the resets, and El hoped that after this was all said and done they could both finally find some peace in their respective kingdoms. Jade could rise to become the ruler she was meant to be, and Rab could continue to see Dundrasil’s rebuilding through to the end.

Hendrik and Jasper had hands on his back, his newfound allies and friends. They’d been through an immeasurable amount between Jasper’s betrayal and Mordegon’s control over the king, but they’d both come out stronger and more determined to make things right than ever before. Their drive inspired El to work just as hard to better himself, and he hoped that they were proud of him after everything they’d been through.

Sylvando ruffled his hair. He’d joined El’s cause with no questions. All he wanted to do was ensure Erdrea had a reason to smile, and as long as he’d been around, he’d certainly given El a reason to do so. After all of this was over, Sylv could finally pursue his dream of traveling around Erdrea with his own group of performers, and bring joy to every corner of the world on his own terms.

Serena and Veronica linked their arms with his, his sages. They were his voice of reason more than he’d like to admit, but he wouldn’t change it for the world. From literally bringing him back from the brink of death to shouting some sense into him when he needed it the most, he was forever grateful fate had brought them together.

As they approached the edge of the swirling darkness that enveloped Calasmos, El knew what had to be done. They would put an end to this evil once and for all, for his friends, his family, and for every living being that deserved to live a life without calamity threatening to take it all away. He’d fight tooth and nail to see it through, and as he looked down at his already glowing mark and then over to Lumi, he knew they could do it.

Together, or not at all.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it! Oh my goodness, what a wild ride. Thank you so so much for joining me. I'd like to thank some people whose weekly comments and dm-screaming were a major part in making this fic possible! Thank you to EVERYONE who gave this fic a chance. I love you all.
> 
>  **Neenee** \- Thank you so much for your continued support! I was always so happy to see your name pop up in my email :D I love your fics, so the fact that you took the time read mine just makes me all smiley. You've honestly inspired me to try and write more for Jasper. He's such a good character and deserves more love. Keep being awesomeee you're the best <3 
> 
> **princesscas** \- You always mentioned looking forward to chapter updates, and in turn I always looked forward to your amazing comments! I love seeing what you pick out from each chapter, and I'm always sitting here giggling while we make fun of the _subtext_ (they're all gay! we can't help it! XD). Thank you again for the support. <3
> 
>  **Chel** \- Your reactions in the server always had me giggling. Thank you so much for your unwavering support <3
> 
>  **Puffin** \- Puffin you're the whole reason I started posting this thing XD. I crashed into your dms one night after watching a time loop movie and was like "WHAT IF EL GOT STUCK IN ONE?!" Thank you for being there to bounce ideas off of, and for helping me work out some major plot points! This fic certainly wouldn't be what it is without you <3
> 
> P.S. Puffin drew my boys and I adore it. Please look at their lovely art. Check out all their stuff on tumblr @Puffinpastry. Send em all the love. [art!](https://64.media.tumblr.com/a6a0c3440dc10713a6a458ace1f7ef21/a979cde5ccb49fc1-93/s1280x1920/f3dfe7c5e664b9e967060426b3a92a6ef727a1f4.png)

It was like flipping a light switch as Cetacea breached the barrier of darkness. It almost looked like the night sky, and it would have been sort of peaceful if the very essence of evil wasn’t radiating from its core. 

Calasmos rose from the shadows and towered above them. With a deep laugh that shook the sky, it threatened to end them along with the rest of Erdrea once they inevitably failed.

El didn’t budge when he made eye contact with the creature. It didn’t look like anything they’d ever faced before, and appearances could be deceiving. This thing certainly wouldn’t be a pushover. 

He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. This was it. The one last thing he had to do before they could all finally live in peace. He slotted into a defensive stance with the rest of the party, and with a determined nod between them, the battle began. 

The sword of light proved to be an invaluable weapon. The holy light that shined from its blade negated the evil aura that protected their foe. Now more vulnerable, it was much easier for the rest of them to land their most devastating attacks as they chipped away at the monster’s armor. Piece by piece fell with shouts of anguish, and it looked like they had the upper hand. 

Until Calasmos stopped time. 

Only El and Lumi were spared from the temporary time freeze, but with the way Lumi's body seized up in fear, El worried that he'd been affected as well. He waved his hand in front of Lumi’s face, hoping he’d just snap out of it.

"Lumi. Lumi! Can you hear me?"

His eyes were glazed over in fear. The feeling of being trapped, like he had been for all of those months crept its way up his spine and rendered him immobile. His hands shook at his sides, and he squeezed his eyes shut with a cry.

"No...I don't want to go back. I can’t!"

El grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to make eye contact.

"You're not going anywhere. You're stuck here with me, and we've got some bigger fish to fry, okay?!" His mark lit up, and the flash of light in front of his eyes snapped Lumi back into the present. He shuddered and shook the stiff feeling out of his arms.

"Yeah. Right. Let's do this." 

One last shiver ran through him as his own mark lit up as well, and the dual Luminaries stood back-to-back in preparation. The gathering energy made everyone’s hair stand up on the back of their arms and necks while still frozen by the curse. Electricity cracked through the darkness surrounding them and wrapped its way around El and Lumi’s extended arms. The separate bolts combined into one, and with a point of their hands it hit Calasmos square in the face. 

The impact was more than enough to send it reeling in shock and pain, and it was enough to break the curse on the others. While they shook the stiffness from their limbs, they all looked to one another in preparation for their final assault. It would have to be a team effort, and they would make sure it stuck.

With one last battle cry, they surged forward and attacked as one. Magic bursts complimented precise knife and sword slashes, and El and Lumi stood at the back while they gathered one last lighting strike. A flash brighter than the sun lit up the dark star from the inside out, and as the twin Luminaries let the electricity fly from their fingertips, El fell to his knees.

But it had been worth it. Calasmos cursed them along with every other living thing as it began to dissolve into dust, and before they could realize what they’d managed to do, it was all over. 

No more Modegon. No more Calasmos. Nothing left to threaten their lives or their futures.

Before El could completely collapse, Lumi was hauling him back up to his feet by the armpits with the biggest smile he’d seen on his face to date.

“Hey. We _did_ it.” 

El couldn’t stop the tears even if he’d wanted to. It didn’t feel real. Somehow they’d managed to save the world yet again, and they’d all made it out alive. He grabbed Lumi into a crushing hug and began to laugh through the tears. 

“We really did it.”

Cetacea dropped them off back in Cobblestone, and El offered to zoom anyone home that wouldn’t be staying the night. The small village celebrated through the early morning hours like it never had before, and El found himself feeling light enough to accept a dance from each of his friends in turn; something he wouldn’t have felt like doing at all a year ago. A massive invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and as he sat back and watched Lumi twirl Gemma around the bonfire, he knew things were finally going to be okay.

* * *

Six months had passed since El, Lumi, and their friends laid waste to Calasmos. Their friends had all settled back in their homes, and life continued on as it had before the Lantern descended from the sky all those months ago. That dreaded day almost felt like a distant memory to El, and that was more than alright. Life was peaceful. Things were as they should be.

Lumi was welcomed into Cobblestone with open arms. He didn’t tell anyone who he really was at first, but after a few days they sat down with Amber to explain the situation. True to character she took it in stride, and El was shocked when she began to laugh.

“I had a feeling. Did you really expect me not to recognize my own boy? You can change his hair, but you can’t change his heart, dear.” 

She stood up and wrapped Lumi in a tight hug. “Welcome home, love.” 

He hugged her back just as hard, and failed to hold back the few tears that fell from his eyes.

“Thanks, mum. I missed you.”

He quickly settled back into living at home, and Amber’s household had never felt warmer.

El kept up his armory with Gemma, and Lumi lent them his forging skills as well. They were happily busy with orders coming in from all over Erdrea, and Erik kept himself busy with the livestock and the garden. El was pleasantly surprised to watch him settle back into the slower paced life so quickly, but he’d taken to it like a duck to water. 

Mia visited every few months between semesters, and Erik was always excited to share what he’d grown in the garden, or what he’d learned to cook from El’s mother. He was motivated to learn the skills he hadn’t had the chance to learn growing up, and El had no issues taste-testing whatever he tried to cook, good or bad.

Lumi and Mia got on almost too well. Their mischievous sides complimented each other to a frightening level, and the pranks were neverending when she was home for a visit. Whether it was waking up with wet socks on or finding a frog in his boot, the entertainment and laughter was endless, and El wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Life was pretty much perfect.

Until it wasn't.

The changes were gradual; so much so that they were almost undetectable at first. Lumi began to get more forgetful. He began to have dizzy spells. He tried to reassure his family that it wasn’t serious. They worriedly discussed his developments in private, and agreed to keep an eye on him to make sure it didn’t get any worse.

And it did.

The dizzy spells turned into losing consciousness for a few moments. Lumi began to wake up completely unable to recall anything from the previous day. He shrugged it off, but the others kept worried, watchful eyes on him. 

El listened in when he couldn’t remember a customer’s order at the armory even though he’d worked on it the day before. Gemma noticed he’d forgotten Sandy’s name. Erik caught him slouched out back against the shed, and Lumi laughed it off as ‘just needing to get some air’.

Something seriously wasn’t right, and it all came to a head the morning they couldn’t wake Lumi up.

El tried everything he could think of. He pinched his arm, dumped water on his face, and even tried to heal him, but it was no use. He wasn’t physically hurt. His pulse was as strong and steady as ever. It didn’t make any sense.

“Keep an eye on him for me. I’m gonna zoom over to ask Serena what she thinks we should do.”

Erik nodded, and took a seat on the bed next to Lumi’s. He held the back of his hand flat against Lumi’s forehead and pulled it back with a frown. No fever.

“Got it, partner. Be careful.”

* * *

Serena held her chin in thought while El sat across from her. He tried to still his excessive foot-tapping so she could think in peace. 

“Perhaps he’s stuck in some sort of vision?”

El shook his head. “He’s been acting strange for weeks. His memory’s been failing, and he’s not always steady on his feet. Do you think he could have hit his head or something?”

“It’s possible. Would you mind terribly if I came back with you?”

“Not at all. Please.”

Another zoom spell back to Cobblestone, and Serena kneeled down at Lumi’s bedside to check him over. His state hadn’t changed since El left earlier that afternoon, and he couldn’t tell if that was good news or bad.

She checked all of the same things that El and Erik had earlier that morning, and after a few simple spells she looked up at them with a puzzled frown.

“I’m awfully sorry, but I can’t seem to get him awake.” She sunk down to the floor and fiddled with her hair, going back over what could possibly be wrong. 

With a sudden gasp in realization, she looked up with a glint in her eye. “El, didn’t he mention he woke up in the tower with the Timekeeper?”

El’s brows drew down. “Yeah, about a month before he found us. Why?”

“Maybe Serenica could help. I can’t quite explain it, but it feels like the right thing to do. There’s no harm in trying, is there?”

El shrugged his shoulders, not looking forward to the idea of carrying his unconscious twin around. At least he’d have Erik there to help.

“I guess you’re right. Can’t hurt to try.”

They returned Serena back to Arboria before heading off to the Tower of Lost Time. As soon as their feet touched down on the grass, Lumi began to stir. They set him down gently and held their breath until his eyes finally fluttered open. He sat up slowly, holding his head.

“Where the hell are we? I feel like I just ate a pile of sand and then passed out for a week.”

El sighed in relief, but also a tinge of annoyance. “Well, not quite a week. You’ve been out for almost a full day. What happened? No more secrets.”

Lumi bit at the inside of his cheek. He knew he couldn’t lie about it any longer. Not now that they’d worried so much to bring him here.

“I...haven’t been feeling well.”

Erik snorted. “Yeah. we figured that out a while ago.”

Lumi rolled his eyes, and hugged his knees to his chest. “I can’t remember much anymore. I forget what some of our friends look like. I can’t even remember their names. I’ve had moments where I get so dizzy I can’t even stand, and I’ve woken up on the ground a few times with no idea of how I fell.”

They listened and tried not to get angry at the fact that Lumi had lied about the severity of his illness. El held out his hand, and he carefully helped Lumi back to his feet. But he didn’t let go of his hand.

“I wish you would have said something sooner. We were really worried.”

Lumi scuffed his boot into the dirt, and was unable to meet his twin’s wounded expression. 

“M’ sorry.”

Erik took his other hand to keep him steady, and pointed up to the tower. “Serena had a hunch about bringing you here. I know you probably don’t want to, but we need to go see the Timekeeper.”

Lumi frowned. Erik was right, he didn’t really want to go back after being held there against his will for so long, but if it was their best shot at figuring all of this out, it had to be done. He rolled his shoulders, and took a deep breath in preparation.

“Let’s go, then.”

* * *

Everything was just as they’d left it almost a year ago. They made their way through the throng of tockles, and up to the platform where Serenica the Timekeeper dwelled along with the sphere. As they ascended El wondered if she ever got lonely being here all by herself. He wrapped an arm around Lumi’s back under the pretense of steadying him while they walked, but his worries were still fresh enough to make him want to keep as close as he could.

Serenica welcomed them as they stepped foot on the final platform. “Luminaries. You have returned.”

El bowed in respect, and the other two followed his lead. “Sorry for barging in unannounced, but we were hoping you’d be able to help Lumi.” He led Lumi forward, keeping his arm firmly wrapped around his side. He seemed less stable than he’d been outside. “He’s losing his memory, and he’s not well.”

Serenica floated closer and took a good look at Lumi. He resisted the urge to step away from the giant tockle’s empty gaze, and held still.

“His time in this world grows short. He must return from whence he came. With the Dark One vanquished from this time, the others are repaired.” She extended her long arm to Lumi, and he flinched back.

“He is an anomaly. He cannot exist.”

“What? So he’s dying?” Erik asked with an edge of panic to his voice.

“In a way...yes.”

El didn’t like that answer in the slightest. There had to be a way to save him. There had to be a way to make sure he got the same happy ending that the rest of them did. He deserved it more than he did. His gaze settled on the glowing sphere behind where Serenica stood, and he got an idea.

"What if you tried to break it? Would you go back to your own time?"

Lumi whirled around on his heels and jabbed his finger into El's chest. "Are you kidding me? I just helped you save your own time, and now you want me to try and go back to my own?” He grit his teeth against the building fury in his chest. 

“Where there's _nothing_ for me to go back to?"

“Well you clearly aren’t meant to stay here!” El fired back. “We couldn’t wake you up for a whole day!” He took a moment to still his frustration. “Your time is running out here, Lumi. I don’t want to lose you.”

“If I go back you still lose me, idiot.”

“That’s not-” El clenched his fists at his sides. Why was he being so difficult about this? Why wouldn’t he just acknowledge something wasn’t right and he was trying to fix it? His shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh, and he reached behind him to pull the sword of light from its sheath. He held it out to Lumi as his eyes began to water.

“Please. Just try.”

Lumi drew his own sword in retaliation, and charged.

“No! I won’t go back!”

El raised his sword just in time to block the hit, and spun around to get his footing. “What are you doing? I don’t want to fight. We’re only trying to help you.”

Lumi parried with a snarl. “Should have thought of that before you tried to send me back to hell.”

Erik watched on helplessly while they traded blows around the time sphere. Should he step in? Beg them to stop?

Before he could make a decision, a blinding light shot out from Lumi’s left hand. He’d grabbed the hilt of the sword of light, and his mark reacted in time.

“Wh- What the hell? What’s going on?” 

El’s began to glow as well, and his skin began to tingle. He looked up at Lumi, his eyes wide in fear.

“I don’t know!” 

The light grew bright enough to overtake the entire room, and a giant beam shot out of the top of the tower, much like Cetacea’s blessing all those months ago.

When Erik’s vision came back into focus, he blinked hard a few times to make sure he was really only seeing _one_ person.

“...El? What in the-”

El stared down at his shaking hands in shock. He could still feel the light tingling at the tips of his fingers, and he felt...different. Better. 

Complete.

Erik cautiously stepped closer, and as the last of the light faded away he noticed darker streaks of color in El’s hair. His bewildered grin had a familiar slant to it.

El turned his hands over and back again, and looked back up to Erik. His smile only grew wider.

“We’re...both here.”

“...Both?”

The Timekeeper approached the confused pair with their arms spread wide.

“Luminary. By the divine power of Yggdrasil, your souls have combined back into one. Time has healed, and so have you.”

He didn’t know exactly how or why, but when Lumi grabbed the sword of light at the same time El held it, they’d merged back into one. As El flexed his hands and re-sheathed the sword, he realized he felt better than he ever had before. He could feel Lumi’s presence in his head, and it was comforting. It felt _right_.

And in that moment, he knew that his entire journey; all of the restarts, the fears, the pain...but also the love he’d found in his friends and his other half, the triumphs, and the happiness; it had all led up to this. His destiny had been fulfilled, along with his heart. He looked to the Timekeeper, and then to Erik with an unbreakable smile.

“Yeah. I have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU all so much for reading!! <3 <3 
> 
> Much love,  
> -Addy


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